This morning, the NDA’s Director, Dr Aideen Hartney, the Chief Officer of our Centre for Excellence in Universal Design, Dr Gerald Craddock, and our Senior Advisor for the European Accessibility Act, Dr Dónal Fitzpatrick, appeared before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence. The Committee met to discuss the impact of AI on the lives of persons with disabilities.
The NDA noted that AI technologies already show significant promise in breaking down barriers to participation and eliminating common obstacles faced by people with disabilities. However, the NDA cautioned that AI also raises important challenges, adding that careful management and ongoing monitoring is required to ensure that the roll-out of AI does not perpetuate existing inequalities or create new ones. The NDA advised that a commitment to a Universal Design approach is one route to mitigating this risk, as is building capacity among public services, disabled people and AI developers.
Representatives from the Disability Federation of Ireland and Voice of Vision Impairment also participated in the meeting.
A copy of our opening statement, delivered by our Director, is available on our Oireachtas submissions and statements webpage.
Read our report on AI and Disability Inclusion in Ireland: Opportunities and Challenges Across Six Key Sectors.