Rose Conway-Walsh: AI Bill must protect workers and rights

Rose Conway-Walsh. Go raibh maith agat a Arra, Aoslea Ceann Comhairle. Artificial intelligence is transforming our economy and our workplaces and our daily lives at an extraordinary pace. It offers enormous opportunities to improve public services, drive innovation and enhance productivity, but it also presents serious risks that cannot be ignored. We all can recognise the benefits AI can bring to individuals, to businesses and the public sector, be it through task automation, improved data analysis or increased efficiency and competitiveness across many sectors. However, AI is not an inherently positive force. It is a tool that can be used for good or bad, depending on the intentions of those who develop and deploy it. This is precisely why it must be properly and robustly regulated. I welcome the regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026, which will establish the national structures required to implement and enforce the EU AI Act in Ireland. It will provide the governance, supervision and enforcement framework necessary to ensure Ireland meets its obligation to have a fully operational AI regulatory regime in place by 2 August 2026. This important deadline falls during Ireland's presidency of the European Union. As a country that has positioned itself as a major digital hub within Europe, it is important that Ireland demonstrates leadership and a clear commitment to online safety, to accountability and the responsible use of emerging technologies. The establishment of a dedicated national AI office is indeed welcome. However, its effectiveness will depend on whether it has the necessary independence, staffing and financial resources to carry out its functions properly. It will be important that the board members of this new office collectively possess expertise in AI and computer science, in human rights and equality law, in trade union and workers' rights matters, in consumer protection and in civil society engagement. There must be no conflict between the state's own deployment of AI and its role in promoting innovation and its responsibility to regulate and enforce compliance. The office must have sufficient authority and capacity to support other regulators and fundamental rights bodies. We in Sinn Féin support empowering enforcement bodies to tackle the misuse of artificial intelligence and protect citizens from harmful or unlawful practices. However, enforcement mechanisms must be matched by adequate resources, transparency and oversight. I can correlate that while much of the debate around artificial intelligence focuses on innovation and competitiveness, we must not lose sight of its impact on workers. Artificial advancement should improve people's lives, not undermine their livelihoods. AI should enhance human labour, not replace it. We are already witnessing the consequences of AI-driven restructuring. 720 workers in Covalin recently learned that their jobs are to be made redundant, as advances in artificial intelligence increasingly replaces functions previously carried out by people. The government cannot simply sit back and hope for the best as artificial intelligence reshapes our labour market. A recent report by the ESRI and the Department of Finance estimated that around 7% of jobs in Ireland could be displaced by AI in the short to medium term, the equivalent of almost 200,000 jobs. This should serve as a wake-up call that future displaced workers need meaningful protections and supports in place now. The new AI office must promote the development and deployment of AI systems that advance high-quality employment, regional development, social inclusion and the provision of public services. Workers must be supported to adapt to changing technologies, gain new qualifications and transition into emerging sectors. More broadly, I want to see the government develop a comprehensive national strategy to manage the impact of AI on employment and ensure workers are partners in shaping technological change rather than casualties of it. The new AI office could contribute significantly to this work. The government has already stated that this legislation does not create substantive administrative obligations beyond those already contained in the EU AI Act. With this bill, we need to be careful not to over-regulate AI and add to the already large administrative burden of the SMEs. It's the difference between the administrative burden and the regulation that we absolutely need. But we must also ensure Irish companies can access AI technology to the same extent as international competitors, otherwise Ireland's competitiveness will be negatively impacted. This legislation must protect citizens while also enabling responsible technological development and economic growth. For Sinn Féin, regulation of AI must be guided by clear principles, by transparency. Transparency is essential. AI-generated content and tools should be clearly identified where there is potential for public consumption. Copyright protections must be upheld to protect artists, designers, writers and those working in creative industries from having their original works replicated and exploited without consent. Privacy rights cannot be compromised either. AI systems must comply fully with GDPR and all relevant data protection legislation. Personal information, including sensitive and biometric data, must be processed lawfully, fairly and transparently. Fairness is another key consideration. AI must never reinforce discrimination, inequality or social exclusion. And I say that particularly as well in relation to access to vital and public services by elderly people, by people with disabilities, by vulnerable people in our communities. And regular monitoring of systems is required to identify and eliminate biases, particularly where AI is used in employment decisions, in recruitment processes or in the delivery of public services. We must also recognise the growing cyber security threats associated with artificial intelligence. AI has already been used by malicious actors to create increasingly sophisticated phishing exercises, deepfake scams and fraudulent communications. It can automate cyber attacks, identify vulnerabilities at scale and facilitate the spread of misinformation. As AI capabilities become more advanced, the potential for criminal exploitation also increases. The state must ensure that cyber security considerations are embedded within AI regulation and governance frameworks. Businesses, public bodies and critical infrastructure providers must be equipped to deal with these evolving threats. Therefore, public engagement and education are vitally important. Education must be proactive in informing citizens about what artificial intelligence is, how it's been used and what risks and opportunities it presents. Public awareness campaigns, online tutorials and our education system all have a role to play in ensuring people can use these technologies safely and confidently. Particular attention must be paid to vulnerable groups in society, as I said. The rights of children and the elderly must come first, and we must have meaningful engagement with people with disabilities to better understand their experiences with AI technologies. Artificial intelligence is evolving much faster than legislation. The government must remain agile and capable of responding quickly to emerging risks and development. Sinn Féin supports the principle of effective AI regulation. We welcome measures that protect citizens, uphold fundamental rights and ensure accountability. But regulation alone is not enough. Government must ensure that workers are protected, citizens are informed, enforcement bodies are adequately resourced and innovation proceeds in a way that benefits society as a whole. Artificial intelligence should serve people, strengthen our communities and support our economy while always remaining subject to the democratic oversight, human judgement and public interest. And I would just finally say, Minister, just in relation to SMEs, in particular small businesses and the use of AI, we see the use of AI in big tech and all of that, we really need to be conscious of the supports that are necessary for small and medium businesses and for small retailers in order to be able to avail of the opportunities but also to be able to protect their businesses. And I really want to see a front-loading of those supports and services that are available to SMEs as well.