Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 October 2023
28. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on his meeting with the CEO of the Electoral Commission (details supplied) to discuss digital issues, in particular the use of artificial intelligence tools. [44180/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI met with the CEO of the Electoral Commission on Wednesday 18 July 2023.
At our meeting we discussed digital issues, in particular the use of artificial intelligence tools.
The Government launched the National Digital Strategy, Harnessing Digital – The Digital Ireland Framework, in February 2022. Much progress has been made on implementation, and a full progress report, covering achievements across all four dimensions of the strategy, was published in December 2022. I published a progress report on implementation of the National AI Strategy, AI - Here for Good, in August 2023.
At our meeting, the CEO and I discussed that the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment together with the Electoral Commission are members of the Working Group that is supporting the development of the National Counter Disinformation Strategy led by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
We are working hard to ensure that digital services and artificial intelligence are safe and accountable, including around elections.
The Electoral Commission’s mandate to protect the fairness and integrity of elections is crucial in securing our democracy and strengthening public trust. The Commission’s establishment and the Electoral Reform Act are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Digital media literacy including around the use of AI tools will be an important part of the Commission’s work, and work is underway in number of responsible Departments to support this.
Digital regulation will also have a key role in addressing the spread of disinformation online and the risk of manipulation of electoral processes.
My Department is responsible for implementing the new EU Digital Services Act and the EU AI Act (when it comes into force) in Ireland.
The Digital Services Act (DSA), through its rules on how platforms moderate content, on advertising, algorithmic processes and risk mitigation, aims to ensure that platforms – and in particular the very large ones – are more accountable and assume their responsibility for the actions they take and the systemic risks they pose, including on disinformation and manipulation of electoral processes.
The EU AI Act will put in place a horizontal EU regulatory framework which will apply to AI developed or used in the EU. Implementation of these new digital regulations as part of the development of an overall coherent framework for digital regulation in Ireland under the National Digital Strategy.
