News archive Dr Rónán Kennedy Awarded SFI Public Service Fellowship

Dr Rónán Kennedy lecturer at NUI Galway School of Law has been awarded an SFI Public Service Fellowship for his project “Algorithms, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence in the Irish Legal Services Market”. The project which is hosted by Oireachtas Research & Library Services will examine how information technology is enabling new approaches to legal practice and the work of courts, and how Irish law should respond to the rapid innovation that is taking place.

AI-based tools could reduce legal costs and make it easier for individuals to get better-quality legal advice where and when they need it. However, they could also lead to smaller firms being left behind, and the use of AI to assist with judicial decision-making (as already happens in other countries) could take control away from judges and strengthen existing social biases and prejudices.

Dr Kennedy said, “This fellowship provides an opportunity to see how the Oireachtas works, and how legislation is written. It will give the Oireachtas a better understanding of the social implications of innovations in science and technology, and will help academics working in those fields to communicate their research in a way that helps legislators develop better policy for very important topics.”

Dr Rónán Kennedy is one of 12 researchers who were awarded a SFI Public Service Fellowship today. The SFI Public Service Fellowships were announched by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, TD, see full details here.