Ireland’s Digital and AI Strategy 2030 outlines an ambitious roadmap of reforms spanning public services, AI adoption, infrastructure, and regulation, signalling major shifts in data governance, compliance, and digital innovation.

Ireland’s National Digital & AI Strategy 2030 (the “Strategy”) sets out 20 high level objectives together with 90 deliverables, to be introduced progressively across public services, the economy, infrastructure, regulation, online safety and skills. Collectively, these measures provide a detailed implementation roadmap for digital transformation until 2030, with significant implications for data governance, AI deployment, and regulatory compliance.

From a technology and data protection perspective, the Strategy provides a clear indication of the evolving regulatory and compliance landscape facing organisations operating in Ireland, particularly considering parallel developments at EU level.

Some of the key deliverables proposed are as follows:

Digital Public Services and Government

The Strategy envisages the full digitalisation of all key public services by 2030, with the majority accessed online. Importantly, the Strategy recognises that it is equally important that people remain able to access and use services through more traditional channels where this better meets their needs. Delivery will be reorganised around a “life events” model, supported by shared digital infrastructure, interoperable public data systems and a new Government Digital Wallet, incorporating a related online age verification tool.  This raises important considerations regarding personal data processing, identity verification and compliance with core GDPR principles such as data minimisation and purpose limitation.

Responsible AI use will be embedded across the public sector through an AI Advisory Unit, mandatory AI training for public servants, a National AI Fellowship Programme, and a GovTech Challenge to accelerate adoption of emerging technologies. All new legislation will be subject to a digital readiness assessment, and legislation will be published in open digital formats.

In the healthcare sector, the Strategy provides for delivery of Digital for Care 2030, including a national electronic prescribing service, digitised health records, a National Electronic Health Record, and the rollout of an “AI for Care” strategy. These proposals will require careful alignment with data protection law, particularly given the sensitivity of health data and the potential for cybersecurity risks.

Enterprise, Research and Innovation

To accelerate AI adoption across business, the Strategy introduces a sector-based AI adoption strategy, AI Sector Champions, and an Observatory for Business AI Readiness to monitor uptake and inform policy. Dedicated AI and digital literacy programmes for SMEs will be rolled out nationwide.

Ireland will establish a new AI Research Centre of Scale, expand applied AI capacity through CeADAR, implement an AI Regulatory Sandbox (with an emphasis on SMEs and startups), and deliver an AI in Research transformation programme. A Quantum Centre of Excellence will also be established to support emerging technologies.

Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity

Planned measures include completion of the National Broadband Plan, delivery of gigabit connectivity nationwide, enhanced international connectivity through new subsea cable routes, and strengthened resilience of digital infrastructure.

Advanced computing capacity will be expanded through Ireland’s AI Factory Antenna, procurement of the CASPIr supercomputer, and publication of a National Strategy for Advanced Computing Infrastructure.

Cyber Security

A new National Cyber Security Strategy will be published, alongside legislation to implement the EU NIS2 Directive and prepare for the Cyber Resilience Act. The Strategy includes a National AI Cyber Risk Assessment, updated public sector AI security guidance, and the establishment of a Cyber Security Research Centre of Excellence.  The proposed enhanced requirements around risk management, incident reporting and governance are likely to have operational and legal impacts. The inclusion of AI-specific cyber risk considerations also reflects an emerging recognition of the distinct vulnerabilities associated with AI systems.

Digital Regulation and Governance

Ireland will strengthen its role as an EU digital and regulatory hub through the establishment of the AI Office of Ireland, which will coordinate implementation of the EU AI Act. The Strategy aims to further enhance and strengthen Ireland’s position as an EU Centre of Excellence by enhancing our strategic engagement at EU level to advance the EU’s digital simplification agenda, and to demonstrate that Ireland ought to be a Centre for EU Regulation and Enforcement. It is also notable that Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU commences on 1 July 2026, and an International AI and Digital Summit will be hosted to further showcase Ireland as a digital and regulatory hub.  A national AI Regulatory Sandbox will also support supervised innovation.

Regulatory capacity will be expanded through enhanced resourcing of regulators, structured skills initiatives, streamlined reporting processes, and the creation of a Criminal Justice International Cooperation Office under the EU eEvidence framework.

Online Safety

The Strategy provides for enhanced resourcing of online safety regulators, development of robust age verification tools, exploration of social media age restrictions for those under 16, updated harm taxonomies addressing AI generated content, and implementation of the National Counter Disinformation Strategy. A national network of Digital Citizenship Champions will support education and awareness, particularly for children and young people.

Skills and Talent

Delivery measures include a Roadmap for Technology Skills of the Future, creation of a National Skills Observatory, a national Digital and AI skilling campaign, and an online AI Skilling Platform for employers and individuals. Digital, media and AI literacy will be embedded across education and training systems, supported by updated guidance, teacher toolkits, and a National Conversation on AI to support public engagement and trust.

Since its publication, the Data Protection Commission (“DPC”), as part of the Digital Regulators Group, welcomes the publication of Digital Ireland – Connecting our People, Securing our Future, the National Digital & AI Strategy 2030.  The DPC, along with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, Coimisiún na Meán, and the Commission for Communications Regulation strongly support the Strategy’s ambition to position Ireland as a trusted, future focused digital regulatory hub.

The Strategy sets out a detailed programme of institutional change, new national bodies, regulatory mechanisms, infrastructure investment, and skills initiatives. The Strategy is evidently long-term (particularly with reference to the speed at which technology is advancing), and at this early stage to be considered quite aspirational in its objectives and deliverables. The Strategy will face many challenges when it comes to deliverables, with such challenges coming in the form of EU legislation enacted or amended during the lifetime of the Strategy, the provision of funding for the various deliverables across a variety of sectors within the Strategy, and also the prioritisation of the Strategy within government between its publication and 2030.

While the Strategy demonstrates a progressive approach by Ireland to AI and digitalisation, many of the deliverables and objectives are driven by EU legislation, including the EU Artificial Intelligence Act.  The Strategy will need to be continuously monitored in conjunction with legislative and regulatory developments to ensure alignment.

For now, the focus is on implementation, and it will be interesting to monitor the progress of each deliverable as we progress toward 2030.