Tech giants could face large penalties for violations of European Union regulations related to artificial intelligence – under proposed legislation due to go to Cabinet on Tuesday.
Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke is expected to seek approval for legislation that would transpose the EU’s AI Act into Irish law.
The EU Act grades forms of AI use by risk and includes penalties fines for large tech companies of up to €35 million or 7 per cent of global annual turnover – whichever is higher – depending on the nature of the violation.
According to the Department of Enterprise website the EU AI Act is designed to protect people’s health, safety and fundamental rights and to promote the adoption of human-centric, trustworthy AI.
Uses of AI deemed by the EU to pose “unacceptable risks” include any that exploiting vulnerabilities due to age, disability or economic situation or profiles individuals for prediction of criminal activity.
Separately, Mr Burke is to brief colleagues on a plan aimed at sustainable data centre development in Ireland.
There have been environmental concerns over data centres which use vast quantities of electricity and restrictions were put on new data centres in recent years due to the pressure on the grid.
The Large Energy User Action Plan – to be published after Cabinet by Mr Burke and Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy Darragh O’Brien – is a 17-point strategy detailing a growth path for the industry in the short to medium term.
The plan provides for “limited development” of data centres and other energy-intensive industrial facilities in places where there is generation capacity though the companies must co-locate development with renewable energy resources.
Meanwhile, Minister for Communications Patrick O’Donovan is to seek Cabinet approval for increased State funding for the post office network of €15 million annually over the next five years.
The funding to An Post for the network had stood at €10 million annually between 2023 and 2025.
The proposed enhanced funding is in line with the findings of an Irish Postmasters Union report from May 2025 report suggesting there is a need for the funding to increase to €15 million per year to safeguard the network.
Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan is to seek Government approval for the text and amendments to the International Protection Bill which will overhaul the State’s asylum system in advance of EU-wide rules coming into force in June.
Last November, the Government signalled it would tighten rules around family reunification for people with refugee status, restricting the ability to bring relatives into the State if refugees were not financially self-sufficient or owed a debt to the State.
Mr O’Callaghan is expected to tell the Cabinet of further restrictions: a general waiting period of three years for adult refugees before they can seek family reunification, which will also apply to immediate family members.
Minister for Higher Education James Lawless is to update the Cabinet on a report about delivering infrastructure including addressing construction skills and workforce shortages.