Ireland AI Act 2026
Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Act 2026 (No. 31 of 2026)
Ireland's national implementing law for the EU AI Act. Establishes Oifig IS na hÉireann, the AI Office of Ireland, and gives effect to Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 through a distributed model in which existing sectoral regulators act as market surveillance authorities, with an adjudication system for administrative fines capped at the AI Act's Article 99 limits and criminal offences for specified non-compliance with authorities' powers.
Jurisdiction
Ireland
Enacted
Jul 21, 2026
Effective
Jul 31, 2026
Enforcement
Oifig IS na hÉireann (coordination) and the sectoral market surveillance authorities listed in section 78 of the Act; adjudicators appointed under the Act for administrative fines; Central Bank of Ireland for financial services
Bill 69 of 2026, initiated in Dáil Éireann on June 19, 2026 by the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment after a General Scheme published in February 2026. Signed into law by the President on July 21, 2026 as Act No. 31 of 2026. The Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Act 2026 (Commencement) Order 2026 (S.I. No. 403 of 2026) brought the Act into operation on July 31, 2026, except paragraphs (a) and (e) of the definition of applicable market surveillance authority in section 78 (Coimisiún na Meán and the Data Protection Commission), which await a further order. The Establishment Day Order (S.I. No. 404 of 2026) appointed July 31, 2026 as establishment day.
Irish Statute Book: Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Act 2026 (No. 31 of 2026)Why It Matters
Ireland is the EU base of many large AI and platform providers. The Act uses a distributed model in which existing sectoral regulators, among them the online safety regulator Coimisiún na Meán, act as market surveillance authorities, coordinated by a new AI Office, rather than creating a single AI regulator.
Recent Developments
Enacted July 21, 2026 after passing both Houses in June and July 2026, and commenced July 31, 2026, ahead of the EU AI Act's August 2, 2026 deadline for national authorities and penalty rules. Coimisiún na Meán and the Data Protection Commission are not yet within the commenced definition of applicable market surveillance authority for the adjudication part of the Act; a further commencement order is required. On September 29, 2026 a separate Private Member's Bill on AI companion services and children (Bill No. 93 of 2026) was introduced in Dáil Éireann.
At a Glance
Harms addressed
Who Must Comply
- Providers, deployers, importers, and distributors of AI systems placed on or used in the Irish market
Safety Provisions
- Establishes Oifig IS na hÉireann as the national body coordinating AI Act implementation
- Distributed supervision: existing sectoral regulators, including Coimisiún na Meán, the Commission for Communications Regulation, the Data Protection Commission, the Health and Safety Authority, the Health Products Regulatory Authority, the Health Service Executive and the Workplace Relations Commission, act as market surveillance authorities
- Independent adjudication of administrative fines, capped at the limits in Article 99(3) to (6) of the AI Act, with a EUR 1,000,000 cap for public bodies (section 105); separate Central Bank fining powers for financial services
- Criminal offences under section 121 carry up to EUR 250,000 and five years' imprisonment on indictment
- National machinery for AI Act serious incident handling, market surveillance powers and information requests
Compliance & Enforcement
Key Dates
Jul 31, 2026
Act commenced (S.I. No. 403 of 2026) apart from section 78 paragraphs (a) and (e) of the definition of applicable market surveillance authority; establishment day appointed (S.I. No. 404 of 2026)
Aug 2, 2026
EU AI Act deadline for Member States to have designated national competent authorities and laid down penalty rules
Penalties
€35M or 7% revenue (whichever higher); criminal (up to 5yr)
View on map
Ireland
Focus Areas
Cite This
APA
Ireland. (2026). Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Act 2026 (No. 31 of 2026).
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Last updated October 4, 2026. Verify against primary sources before relying on this information.