Members include distinguished AI researcher Alan Smeaton and Shutterstock AI director Alessandra Sala.
Seven experts across technology, academia and public administration have been appointed to oversee the newly established AI Office of Ireland. Led by Mary Doyle, a former higher-up across Government departments, the board will help the new office implement the EU’s landmark legislation on AI.
Alongside Doyle as chairperson, the board also features two former members of Ireland’s AI Advisory Council, Prof Deirdre Ahern and Prof Alan Smeaton.
Last week, former Medical Council of Ireland executive director of education, innovation and AI Paul Byrne joined AI Office of Ireland as its CEO.
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke, TD said that the appointments marked another milestone in Ireland’s “ambition to be a leader in trustworthy and human-centric AI”.
“The board will provide leadership and oversight to support the Office in its role as Ireland’s central coordinating authority for AI regulation under the EU AI Act,” the minister said.
“Their collective expertise will help ensure that Ireland develops a robust and innovative framework for the governance of AI while also safeguarding fundamental rights and fostering public trust.”
The Office, which began operations earlier this week, will act as the primary point of contact for the European Commission, national authorities and the public around matters regarding the AI Act.
It is expected to develop a consistent regulatory framework to implement the law, facilitate centralised access to technical expertise, and drive AI innovation and adoption across the country.
The board will comprise:
Mary Doyle, chairperson
Doyle is a former assistant secretary general and deputy secretary general in the departments of the Taoiseach, health and children, and education and skills.
She is also a board member at Ireland’s national association of community organisations – The Wheel – and has previously served as a member of the National Economic and Social Council, on the board of Science Foundation Ireland, with the National Statistics Board, and as a forum member of the Economic and Social Research Institute.
“AI presents enormous opportunities to enhance public services, support economic growth and improve people’s lives. Realising those opportunities requires a governance framework that promotes innovation while maintaining public trust and protecting fundamental rights,” Doyle said.
Deirdre Ahern
Ahern is a professor of law at Trinity College Dublin, where she is also the director of the technologies, law and society research group. Her research focuses on corporate law, corporate governance, and the regulatory challenges presented by AI and other technologies. She is also a principal investigator with Research Ireland’s Rinn AI and Rinn Quantum. Ahern was appointed as a member of the Irish Government’s AI Advisory Council in 2024.
Michelle Kearney
Dr Kearney, who works in the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, led efforts to establish the AI Office of Ireland. She is currently working on the upcoming International AI Summit in October, a key event in Ireland’s rotational EU presidency this year.
Siobhán Noble
Noble is the chief data and AI officer at Carne Group, an Ireland-based financial services company. She also serves as the vice-chair of the Irish Funds Emerging Technologies and Innovation working group.
Donal Rooney
Rooney is a non-executive director with Enterprise Ireland and Oxfam Ireland. He is a chartered accountant with experience managing finance across multiple roles in private equity, public companies and public sector environments.
Alessandra Sala
Dr Sala is senior director of AI and data science at Shutterstock, the global digital media company. She chairs the AI and Multimedia Authenticity Collaboration, which attempts to unify standards between organisations to foster a unified response to deepfake technology. Sala is also the co-chair of the UNESCO Women for Ethical AI platform.
Alan Smeaton
Prof Smeaton was a board member of the Irish Research Council for seven years before being appointed to the AI Advisory Council in 2024. He is also a founding director of the Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics, and is a well-established name in AI and data analytics research.
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