The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) will today call for an independent national AI office to enforce the EU AI Act.
Under current plans, the office will sit within the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, but the ICCL will tell the Oireachtas AI Committee that the AI Office should be an independent body with a dedicated budget, a Commissioner and an adequate number of technical experts employed to support itself, similar to the Data Protection Commission.
ICCL Executive Director, Joe O’Brien, and ICCL Enforce Senior Fellow, Dr Kris Shrishak, will also tell the Committee that further clarity is needed on how the State will decide to use AI or other algorithmic systems in public services and how service users will be informed when algorithmic systems are used.
At today’s session the Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence will discuss AI and the State.
Members will also hear from Liam Herrick, Chief Commissioner, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, and Rebecca Keatinge, Head of Monitoring and Compliance, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.
Speaking before the meeting, the Cathaoirleach of the Committee, Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne said they will continue their consideration on the use of AI in the public service and within state bodies.
“Our witnesses will be focusing on the procurement of AI systems and services and discussing the establishment of an accessible central register of all algorithmic systems used by public bodies,” Mr Byrne said.
