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On June 19, 2026, the House of the Oireachtas introduced the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026 (Bill 69 of 2026), sponsored by the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. The bill establishes a new body called Oifig IS na hÉireann (the Irish AI Office) and transposes the European Union's Artificial Intelligence Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689) into Irish law. The bill amends four existing pieces of Irish legislation to facilitate AI regulation: the Central Bank Act 1942, the Communications Regulation Act 2002, the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014, and the Freedom of Information Act 2014. The EU Artificial Intelligence Act, adopted on June 13, 2024, establishes harmonised rules across the EU on artificial intelligence and amends multiple related regulations and directives covering sectors including transport, aviation, and consumer protection. The bill is currently at First Stage in Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Irish parliament), where it was initiated on June 19, 2026. The legislative process will proceed through five stages in Dáil Éireann, followed by five stages in Seanad Éireann (the upper house), before final enactment by the President. The bill text and explanatory memorandum are available on the Houses of the Oireachtas website. The next stage in the legislative process is Second Stage in Dáil Éireann, where the general principles of the bill will be debated, though no date has been scheduled. REFERENCES: Houses of the Oireachtas. Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026 (Bill 69 of 2026). Available at: https://www.oireachtas.ie/