What you need to know
- Ireland’s “AI for Care” strategy sets out an ambitious roadmap to embed artificial intelligence (AI) across healthcare by 2030. The strategy is built around four pillars: clinical care, operations, research and innovation, and public health.
- AI will help improve efficiency, support professionals and enhance patient outcomes.
- Human oversight remains essential. AI is designed to support, not replace, clinical expertise.
- Implementation is guided by strong governance (including compliance with the AI Act and GDPR), safety standards and a commitment to maintaining public trust in how AI is introduced and used in healthcare.
Emphasising a responsible, ambitious and people-centred approach, the strategy sets out a living roadmap for safely integrating AI across the Irish healthcare system. At the heart of the AI for Care strategy are four priority areas :
- Clinical care
- Operations
- Research and innovation, and
- Public health
The strategy’s aim is to harness AI to improve efficiency, support professionals and enhance outcomes for patients.
Strategic pillars
AI in clinical care
Improving patient care is central to the strategy. AI is expected to enhance clinical care through:
- Faster, more personalised treatment
- Earlier disease detection
- Improved risk prediction, and
- More effective use of resources
It also has a role in addressing workforce pressures and administrative inefficiencies with generative AI helping to reduce workload by automating routine tasks. This would allow clinicians to spend more time with patients. AI is positioned as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for clinicians. Many clinical AI solutions are designated “AI as a medical device”, meaning they must undergo rigorous safety assessments and regulatory approvals before they can be used in practice.
AI in operations
As healthcare demand continues to rise, new technologies are transforming how systems operate and deliver care. AI aims to improve efficiency by reducing manual tasks and supporting smarter decision-making. Predictive analytics can forecast bed demand, patient flow and occupancy levels using historical data. This will help to optimise scheduling, strengthen supply chain management and reduce costs. Beyond logistics, AI can also:
- Automate administrative processes in areas like HR and finance
- Improve system interoperability, and
- Support healthcare providers to focus more time on patient care
AI for research and innovation
Advances in digital technology are transforming how researchers analyse and interpret complex healthcare data. AI enables more efficient use of large-scale datasets to generate actionable insights that support innovation, service planning and evidence-based decision-making. It also strengthens the quality and integrity of research by supporting responsible data use and addressing issues such as privacy, bias and fair representation. In addition, AI can enhance oversight, improve transparency and accelerate the pace at which research findings translate into practice.
AI for public health
Digital technologies are playing an increasingly important role in public health by supporting disease prevention, health promotion and more equitable access to healthcare. AI can help identify individuals at increased risk enabling earlier, more targeted and preventive interventions. This is particularly the case for those in more isolated communities. Plans are also underway to integrate AI into the National Screening Service to enhance screening programmes and strengthen public health delivery.
Guiding principles
As AI continues to expand globally, building confidence in its safe and responsible use has become increasingly important. The strategy highlights trust and governance as central guiding principles. There will be a focus on “person-centred” care by prioritising health outcomes and the diverse needs of the public, while encouraging collaboration with patients and communities.
Transparency is also central ensuring that everyone, from patients to professionals, understand how AI is being used in healthcare.
Crucially, maintaining a “human in the loop” ensures that people remain involved in decision-making, with AI supporting, not replacing, clinical expertise. A focus on lived experience encourages continuous learning and adaptation as technologies evolve. Strong governance and safety arrangements (including compliance with the AI Act and GDPR) ensure that AI operates within robust ethical, legal and regulatory frameworks. Importantly, every AI effort must show proven benefit with clear value, delivering measurable benefits through enhanced patient care, more informed decision‑making and an improved experience for healthcare workers.
Next steps
AI for Care sets out a strategic direction for integrating AI into healthcare in a way that supports service improvement while keeping people at the centre of decision-making. Early priorities focus on strengthening AI literacy among healthcare staff, patients and service users through education and engagement. The strategy promotes greater patient involvement in managing personal health data while ensuring AI remains an assistive tool, subject to human judgement and oversight. Its rollout will be supported by national guidance from the Health Information and Quality Authority and an implementation framework from the Health Service Executive. These documents will be aligned with regulatory requirements including the EU AI Act[2] to ensure safe, accountable human-centred adoption across the health service.
For more information and expert advice, contact a member of our Medical Law team.
The content of this article is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute legal or other advice.
[1] AI for Care - The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy for Healthcare in Ireland 2026 - 2030
[2] EU Regulation (EU) 2024/1689