The threats presented by AI are not being taken seriously by government, which has chosen to only prepare for the potential benefits of its use, according to Social Democrats enterprise spokesperson Sinéad Gibney.
Deputy Gibney, who is a member of the Oireachtas Committee for Artificial Intelligence, said:
“While establishing an AI office is a step in the right direction, it’s concerning to see a persistent narrative from this government on AI which only has time for innovation and advantages for business.
“I have consistently raised issues, in the AI committee, the Dáil and the Seanad, that deal with the jobs that will be lost to AI, misinformation, climate and the negative impacts these tools can have on ordinary people, only to be told that we must not do anything which could stifle innovation.
“It’s important to support businesses as they deal with the impacts of AI, but the balance of priorities between business and wider society appears to be completely skewed by this government.
“How can we address the impact of AI on children, on jobs, on how ordinary citizens use technology, on the environment, when these issues are being left out of our discourse and agendas?
“It is welcome to have an authority responsible for coordinating the AI act, but the work of regulating the use of AI across the state needs to be adequately funded in each of the competent authorities.
“This new office must be properly resourced to address labour displacement, energy issues, and the social impacts of AI use – currently, the biggest commitment I’ve been able to get from the department on addressing the labour market impact of AI has been to consider setting up an observatory to track the data, which has yet to happen.
“There’s been no commitment to addressing these threats, which is a real cause for concern when people’s livelihoods are at stake.”
September 8th, 2025