Initiative overview
The strategy is designed to respond to key pressures on Ireland’s health system, including rising demand, workforce constraints, and the need to improve efficiency and patient experience. It identifies artificial intelligence as a core enabler of healthcare transformation, capable of improving diagnostics, automating workflows, and supporting clinical decision-making, while also addressing administrative burdens and resource limitations.
Implementation is supported by a dedicated AI Implementation Framework, which provides guidance on how AI projects should be deployed across the health service. This framework includes processes for project design, validation, scaling, and continuous evaluation, ensuring that AI solutions are introduced in a controlled and structured manner. It also ensures alignment with regulatory requirements, including the EU AI Act, and promotes robust governance, safety, and ethical standards in all deployments.
The strategy is built on extensive stakeholder engagement, involving the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive, public bodies, clinicians, academic partners, regulators, and patient representatives. A working group with over 30 stakeholders was established to guide its development, and ongoing collaboration with patients and the public is identified as essential for implementation. This participatory approach reflects the emphasis on transparency, trust, and the inclusion of lived experience in decision-making.
A central element of the strategy is the development of enabling conditions for AI adoption, particularly digital and data infrastructure. The strategy highlights the importance of high-quality, secure, and interoperable data, supported by initiatives such as electronic health records, the National Shared Care Record, and the Health App. A complementary national data strategy is expected to ensure that AI systems are built on reliable data foundations and that data can be accessed, shared, and reused effectively.
The strategy also establishes mechanisms to ensure sustainability and measurable impact. AI initiatives will follow a phased approach, starting with proof-of-concept trials, followed by pilot projects and, where successful, national scaling. Progress will be monitored through defined success factors and evaluation processes, with continuous learning and adaptation built into the implementation model. This approach aims to ensure that AI deployment delivers tangible improvements in patient care, operational efficiency, and healthcare outcomes over time
