Ireland’s Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment has officially published the General Scheme of the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026, establishing the legal framework required to enforce the EU AI Act within the country. This national legislation is a critical step in operationalizing European rules, providing the State with the power to supervise AI technologies and issue penalties for non-compliance.
The cornerstone of the Bill is the creation of a new statutory body – the AI Office of Ireland. This office will serve as the central hub and “Single Point of Contact” for AI regulation, coordinating between various government agencies and European counterparts.
Ireland has opted for a “distributed” regulatory model, meaning that rather than creating one giant agency to police all AI, the responsibility will be shared across existing sectoral experts.
With the AI Office expected to be fully operational by August 2026, the government aims to balance strict safety standards with a pro-innovation environment that protects fundamental rights.
