Politics

Irish parliament examines risks to journalism as AI reshapes news landscape

Wednesday, 11 February 2026 12:01AM UTC

The Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence discussed how generative technology threatens the integrity and economics of Ireland’s news industry, amid global concerns over disinformation and platform responsibility.

The Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence convened a session on Tuesday to examine how generative technology is reshaping Ireland’s news ecosystem and to hear from industry and professional bodies about risks to journalism and public trust. Witnesses included representatives from the National Union of Journalists, Media Literacy Ireland and NewsBrands, who set out concerns about the unregulated use of news content to train large language models and the wider implications for independent reporting. According to The Irish Times, publishers warned that the "harvesting [of] original reporting to feed LLMs" threatens the economic model that sustains quality journalism. Industry observers have linked such pressures to a global decline in local news provision. ^[2],^[5]

Committee Cathaoirleach Malcolm Byrne opened the hearing by signalling the session’s priorities, saying: "Our witnesses today will focus on several issues impacting the media in the age of AI, including the role of social media companies who, at present, are not considered publishers like the press and are not required to follow the laws set out for the press." He added that while technology can widen participation in public debate, it also creates "mis- and disinformation" challenges and the "challenges of AI enabled deepfakes". The Irish Times has reported similar testimony from national publishers describing an existential threat to newsrooms when original reporting is reused without recompense. ^[2],^[3]

Speakers at the committee spelled out several concrete harms: automated rewriting or generation of articles that undercut traffic to original reporting, AI-enabled synthetic media that can impersonate sources or fabricate events, and the rapid circulation of algorithmically amplified falsehoods. The committee’s agenda reflected concerns aired in other jurisdictions, where lawmakers and regulators have scrutinised intellectual property questions and the role of platforms in amplifying AI-generated content. Time reported comparable warnings to the US Congress about AI exacerbating the decline of journalism and intensifying copyright disputes over model training data. ^[4],^[5]

Civil society voices pressed for stronger safeguards. According to reporting from The Irish Times, human rights and equality advocates have urged the Government to set out robust regulatory protections for AI systems used in public-facing contexts, arguing that transparency, accountability and independent oversight are essential to protect democratic discourse. Witnesses to the Oireachtas committee underlined the need for media literacy initiatives to help audiences distinguish credible reporting from synthetic or manipulated material. ^[3],^[2]

The Irish hearing forms part of a wider wave of parliamentary scrutiny overseas, where US congressional committees have held hearings on the harms posed by chatbots and on the future of AI more broadly. The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee and House oversight panels have explored privacy, misinformation and the economic impact of AI on news organisations, highlighting international momentum for policy responses that balance innovation with protections for creators and the public interest. ^[6],^[7]

Committee members left the hearing with a clear policy task: to consider whether existing legal frameworks adequately cover platform behaviour and AI-generated content, and whether new measures are needed to protect journalistic labour and curb the spread of synthetic disinformation. News industry representatives told the committee that without enforceable rights or compensation mechanisms for original reporting, local journalism’s financial foundation risks further erosion , a theme echoed in testimony before legislators in other countries. ^[2],^[4]

Source Reference Map

Inspired by headline at: ^[1]

Sources by paragraph:

Paragraph 1: ^[2], ^[5]
Paragraph 2: ^[2], ^[3]
Paragraph 3: ^[4], ^[5]
Paragraph 4: ^[3], ^[2]
Paragraph 5: ^[6], ^[7]
Paragraph 6: ^[2], ^[4]

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2026/0210/1557564-ai-committee/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2026/02/10/news-publishers-under-grave-threat-from-ai-oireachtas-committee-to-hear/ - Irish news publishers are under 'grave threat' from artificial intelligence (AI), the Oireachtas committee on AI is set to hear on Tuesday. NewsBrands, the national news publishers’ body, is expected to tell the committee that the 'harvesting [of] original reporting to feed LLMs' is putting the financial stability of quality journalism under 'existential threat', according to opening statements seen by The Irish Times. ([irishtimes.com](https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2026/02/10/news-publishers-under-grave-threat-from-ai-oireachtas-committee-to-hear/?utm_source=openai))
https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/oireachtas/2025/10/22/ai-use-in-public-services-carries-high-risks-committee-hears/ - The Government must prioritise 'robust safeguards' against harms posed by artificial intelligence (AI), according to a human rights body that warned of the 'high risks' carried by the use of AI in public services. Liam Herrick, chief commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC), said the public had a strong appetite for effective regulation. ([irishtimes.com](https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/oireachtas/2025/10/22/ai-use-in-public-services-carries-high-risks-committee-hears/?utm_source=openai))
https://time.com/6554118/congress-ai-journalism-hearing/ - AI poses a grave threat to journalism, experts warned Congress at a hearing on Wednesday. Media executives and academic experts testified before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law about how AI is contributing to the big tech-fueled decline of journalism. They also talked about intellectual property issues arising from AI models being trained on the work of journalists, and raised alarms about the increasing dangers of AI-powered misinformation. ([time.com](https://time.com/6554118/congress-ai-journalism-hearing/?utm_source=openai))
https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/05/20/first-ai-committee-to-examine-urgent-concern-for-democracy/ - The use of artificial intelligence with specific regard to our democratic processes and electoral systems presents a real and increasingly urgent concern. The deployment of AI to spread misinformation and undermine elections has already been seen in Taiwan, Moldova, Slovakia, United States and Indonesia. These concerns are also developing in an international security context. ([irishtimes.com](https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/05/20/first-ai-committee-to-examine-urgent-concern-for-democracy/?utm_source=openai))
https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/committee-activity/hearings/examining-the-harm-of-ai-chatbots - The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law held a hearing titled 'Examining the Harm of AI Chatbots' on September 16, 2025. The hearing focused on the potential harms associated with AI chatbots, with testimonies from various experts and stakeholders. ([judiciary.senate.gov](https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/committee-activity/hearings/examining-the-harm-of-ai-chatbots?utm_source=openai))
https://oversight.house.gov/release/mace-announces-hearing-on-the-future-of-artificial-intelligence/ - Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation Chairwoman Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) announced a hearing titled 'Shaping Tomorrow: The Future of Artificial Intelligence' on September 11, 2025. The hearing aimed to examine the current state of AI and its impact on the U.S. economy, as well as explore future developments in AI and how American companies are shaping that landscape. ([oversight.house.gov](https://oversight.house.gov/release/mace-announces-hearing-on-the-future-of-artificial-intelligence/?utm_source=openai))

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The article was published on 10 February 2026, reporting on a session of the Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence held on the same day. The content is fresh and directly related to the recent committee meeting. However, similar concerns about AI's impact on journalism have been reported in other jurisdictions, such as the US Congress hearings on AI and journalism. ([irishtimes.com](https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2026/02/10/news-publishers-under-grave-threat-from-ai-oireachtas-committee-to-hear/?utm_source=openai))

Quotes check

Score: 7

Notes: The article includes direct quotes from Sammi Bourke, chairwoman of NewsBrands Ireland, and Séamus Dooley, assistant general secretary of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ). While these quotes are attributed to the committee session, they are not independently verifiable online. The absence of online matches raises concerns about the authenticity and originality of the quotes. Without independent verification, the credibility of these statements is uncertain.

Source reliability

Score: 9

Notes: The article is published by The Irish Times, a reputable national newspaper known for its comprehensive coverage of Irish affairs. The source is reliable and provides detailed reporting on the committee session. However, the article relies heavily on statements from industry representatives, which may present a biased perspective. The lack of independent verification for some claims is a concern.

Plausibility check

Score: 8

Notes: The concerns raised about AI's impact on journalism are plausible and align with ongoing global discussions on the topic. The article highlights the potential threats to the financial stability of quality journalism due to AI's use of original reporting without compensation. However, the absence of independent verification for some claims and the reliance on industry representatives' statements without corroborating evidence reduce the overall credibility.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary: While the article is timely and published by a reputable source, it heavily relies on unverified statements from industry representatives, with no independent verification or corroborating evidence. The absence of independently verifiable quotes and the lack of corroborating sources raise significant concerns about the credibility and reliability of the information presented. Given these issues, the content cannot be fully trusted without further verification.

Artificial Intelligence
Journalism
Media Regulation