Paul Byrne has been appointed the first Chief Executive Officer of Oifig IS na hÉireann (the AI Office of Ireland), established under the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Act 2026, which was signed into law by President Connolly on July 21st.
The Act establishes Oifig IS na hÉireann (AI Office of Ireland) as an independent statutory body, which will act as Ireland’s central coordinating authority for the implementation of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act, Regulation (EU) 2024/1689, and is an essential element of Ireland’s preparations for the supervision and enforcement of the EU AI Act.
The EU AI Act, which entered into force in August 2024, with its provisions applying in a phased manner, applies directly across all EU Member States and imposes obligations on providers, deployers and importers of AI systems and models.
The Act is a technical implementing measure and does not add to the obligations placed on regulated entities by the EU Regulation. It applies horizontally across all sectors of the economy, both public and private, in a risk-based and proportionate manner. The Act is not a blanket regulation applying to all AI systems. Rather, it adopts a risk-based approach to regulation, based on four risk categories in order to ensure that its measures are targeted and proportionate.
‘PROTECTING FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS’
Paul Byrne joins the AI Office of Ireland from the Medical Council of Ireland, where he served as Executive Director of Education, Innovation and Artificial Intelligence. He previously served as Executive Director of Regulatory Operations and Support Services. He is the President of the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR), the international alliance of professional and occupational regulators. He is also a member of the World Health Organisation’s Expert Working Group on Regulatory Considerations of AI for Health.
His previous regulatory experience includes senior leadership roles at the Medical Council of Ireland and CORU, the regulator for health and social care professionals, and held a number of regulatory and policy roles at the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. He holds a Professional Diploma in Artificial Intelligence from University College Dublin and is the author of the CLEAR Principles for Ethical and Effective AI in Professional Regulation, which support the responsible, transparent and accountable use of AI in regulatory practice.
Mr Byrne said he was ‘honoured’ to be appointed as CEO of the AI Office of Ireland, stating that they would work ‘to ensure that innovative AI development can flourish whilst protecting fundamental rights and public confidence in AI’.
“I look forward to working with the public, businesses and regulators to help Ireland harness the benefits of AI in a trusted and responsible way. The opportunities presented by AI are significant. The AI Office will play a key role in developing public trust in AI, providing strategic leadership, fostering regulatory cooperation and supporting the responsible adoption of AI across Ireland’s economy and society.”
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD and Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation, Niamh Smyth TD welcomed his appointment.
