Irish Tech News Audio Articles

The third annual Microsoft Dream Space Showcase brought together students from across Ireland to demonstrate how their STEM and AI skills developed during the programme can tackle real-world challenges. Held over three days at Microsoft's Dublin campus, and supported by three additional regional showcase events, the initiative saw more than 800 students present over 110 innovative projects, providing inspiring solutions to many of today's environmental, health, wellbeing, and accessibility challenges. From earthquake sensors and plant health monitors to food waste trackers and inclusive communication tools, the projects reflect a wide range of creative, impactful ideas developed by the next generation of STEM leaders. Launched in 2018, Microsoft Dream Space was designed to provide young people with an opportunity to participate in immersive, research-based STEM experiences to enhance their STEM skills and shift their perceptions about the role technology can play in their future careers. Delivered through a mix of in-person, virtual, on-demand, and community-based programmes, today, Microsoft Dream Space is providing every primary and post-primary student, as well as their teachers, across the island of Ireland with the opportunity to engage in STEM and AI learning experiences that will equip them with the skills that are required to fully participate in the era of AI. The Microsoft Dream Space Showcase was launched three years ago with the objective of extending access to the programme's learning content and supports to students and their teachers in rural communities in collaboration with the Department of Rural and Community Development and local county councils. Since the first event in 2023, student participation in the Microsoft Dream Space Showcase has grown significantly, with a near 200% increase in project submissions highlighting the growing enthusiasm among this young cohort to apply their STEM and AI knowledge in creative and impactful ways. Students and teachers from communities in Longford, Cork, Mayo, Tipperary, Monaghan and Waterford have been the most engaged in the initiative, with the number of communities involved continuing to grow each year. As part of the initiative, students embark on a year-long learning journey that combines in-class activities, digital resources, and in-person programme engagement. Using content from three Dream Space TV series - Full STEAM Ahead, Code Green, and brAIn_waves - students develop skills in coding, computational thinking, sustainability, and AI, laying the groundwork for their participation in the Showcase. The learning journey culminates in the Microsoft Dream Space Showcase, where students travel to One Microsoft Place to demonstrate the many ways in which their newly developed STEM skills can help solve real-world problems. From climate action to inclusive design, the projects presented at the Showcase address key challenges linked to the UN Global Goals, demonstrating how technology and creativity can come together to drive positive change. This year, Microsoft is celebrating its 40th year of innovating and investing in Ireland. To mark this milestone, the company gave a special 'NextGen 40' award at the Microsoft Dream Space Showcase to 6th class students from St Marys National School in Edgeworthstown, County Longford for their inspiring project, 'The Eco-town'. Building on the knowledge and skills that the students developed over the past year, the students created multiple micro:bit devices through coding to transform Edgeworthstown into an eco-town. They focused on key areas such as safety, recycling, and solar energy. As part of the project, the students built a prototype of their local town to demonstrate how their micro:bits would function, offering a clear vision of how technology can enhance sustainability in their community and empower them to achieve more. James O'Connor, Microsoft Ireland Site Leader and Corporate Vice President Microsoft Global Oper...

The Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) has joined forces with Dell Technologies to develop a new AI platform that will advance research in cybersecurity, sustainability, healthcare and robotics. TUS established the Software Research Institute (SRI) with the goal to develop a leading national research lab, focused on driving innovation in the fields of cybersecurity, cloud-edge computing, robotic control, smart agriculture and healthcare. The new AI platform, powered by Dell PowerEdge servers, will help researchers gain real-time insights into large datasets and develop advanced AI models that power their research. The new AI platform will also support a number of cutting-edge research projects undertaken by TUS and funded by Horizon Europe, the European Union's key programme for research and innovation. This includes projects such as ResilMesh, which focuses on the cyber resilience of critical infrastructure and digital services. It aims to develop advanced tools and mechanisms to detect, prevent, and respond to increasingly sophisticated cyber threats and attacks. Another key initiative is SoilCrates, which is dedicated to restoring and preserving soil health. Through improved soil literacy, real-time monitoring of soil structure, promotion of biodiversity, and optimisation of crop-growing conditions, the project aims to support a more sustainable and resilient agricultural ecosystem. Additionally, the university is one of 17 research and development (R&D) centres in Ireland that runs research projects for the COMAND Technology Gateway Program that is set up in collaboration with Enterprise Ireland Innovation. Based at SRIs TUS Athlone campus, COMAND focuses on research and innovation in areas such as Augmenting User Interactions, End-to-end Applications and Intelligent Infrastructure. Under the COMAND program, the Dell-powered AI platform will be used to develop LLM-based chatbots to support programs around elderly care, automation of automotive assembly lines and robotics using imitation learning. More broadly, the new AI platform will provide the university with powerful AI compute capabilities to support data-intensive research, helping to accelerate data analysis and automate repetitive tasks - boosting research productivity by up to 50%, according to studies. The high-performance Dell PowerEdge servers are purpose-built for demanding AI workloads, delivering exceptional computing power. The servers feature a Cyber Resilient Architecture that offers multi-layered security to safeguard systems, detect threats, and ensure end-to-end data protection. This provides researchers with an IT environment that can simulate complex attacks, identify weaknesses in IT systems more efficiently and provide more accurate analysis on emerging cyber threats for organisations. Dr Yuansong Qiao, Senior Research Fellow, Software Research Institute at TUS, said: "Harnessing the power of AI has become increasingly important to advancing research in critical areas such as cybersecurity and robotics, which require analysis of increasingly large data sets. That's why it's crucial that TUS has the right infrastructure to manage the intensive workloads of advanced AI-powered research. Our collaboration with Dell Technologies delivers these capabilities and ensures that our researchers can now build highly complex AI models to examine and test more effective defence systems in cybersecurity and other domains." Jason Ward, EMEA North Vice-President and Managing Director of Dell Technologies Ireland, said: "As a global leader in compute, Dell Technologies is at the forefront of enterprise AI adoption, providing the cutting-edge technology and expertise that organisations in Ireland and worldwide need to adopt, scale and thrive with AI. This work represents a good example of Dell's dedication to expanding Europe's AI ecosystem, through our AI solutions and expertise making a real difference in critical industries like healthcare and susta...

Paul Turley, Senior Director Ireland at ServiceNow, discusses the role of AI in customer service and emphasises the importance of combining artificial intelligence (AI) with emotional intelligence (EQ) Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the landscape of customer service, but a fundamental challenge persists: fulfilling the consumer desire for both rapid service and authentic human understanding. While Gartner predicts generative AI adoption will soar to 80% this year, true success hinges on understanding the customer. According to industry research, most (84%) of business leaders agree that consumers have higher expectations for service now than in the past. To close the gap between investment and impact, AI must enhance, not just automate, customer service. As organisations race to implement AI in customer experience (CX), they're at an inflection point. They can create strong and enduring relationships if customers enjoy AI support services. However, hard-earned brand loyalty is at risk if customers dislike these services. This means it is crucial to understand and cater to CX preferences, shaping truly customer-centric strategies. The future of customer relationships = AI + EQ Consumers no longer just want AI that gets the job done; they want AI that understands them, incorporating a level of emotional intelligence (EQ). This means that AI should be able to interpret and respond to human emotions, such as understanding when a customer is upset and responding appropriately. As our annual Consumer Voice Report 2025 confirmed, people have long seen AI-powered chatbots as efficient but emotionless. In Ireland, more than two-thirds (68%) of consumers say they fail to understand emotional cues, often missing tone, urgency, or frustration. Still, expectations are evolving. In line with the broader Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region, 65% of consumers in Ireland believe AI will be able to detect emotions within the next 12 months. Put simply, consumers expect AI to streamline interactions, anticipate their needs, and complement human agents. Companies that successfully integrate AI with human-driven customer service will not only improve efficiency but also deliver a more intuitive, empathetic, and seamless experience, building stronger and more trusted customer relationships. High stakes, low trust: the AI trust gap People embrace AI for its speed and convenience in low-stakes tasks, but in emotionally charged situations, they expect AI to work alongside humans, not replace them. As AI's capabilities continue to expand, many people will reevaluate the trust they place in this technology, even for future use cases they cannot yet envision. Some tasks will always require human oversight, and AI's role is not to supplant human judgment but to support it in the right contexts. The next stage of adoption involves identifying those conditions while expanding the understanding of its potential, with a focus on governance, reliability, and risk management. As the opportunities for AI grow, businesses have a crucial window to close the trust gap and position AI as a reliable tool, not just for today's known applications but for the many possibilities ahead. The customer paradox - what we value in humans, we criticise in AI (and vice versa) Consumers want speed, yet will opt for human-led interaction. They want accuracy and seamless continuity, but will shy away from AI-led services. In short, what consumers want from their customer service does not align with their channel preferences, which creates a fundamental paradox. However, regardless of the scenario, the key to resolving this contradiction lies in a proactive AI-powered service. The best customer service is invisible: no waiting, no repetition, no friction. Younger, on-demand consumers already anticipate this - for example, today's buyers rarely visit in-store for device support. Where this was once commonplace, they now expect devices to update, troubleshoot, a...

Expleo, the global technology, engineering and consulting service provider, today launches its Business Transformation Index 2025. To mark the launch, Expleo is revealing new data showing that 70% of Ireland's largest enterprises believe AI's impact on workforces is so profound that it should be managed like an employee to avoid conflicts with company culture and people. The sixth edition of Expleo's award-winning Business Transformation Index (BTI) assesses the attitudes and sentiments of 200 IT and business decision-makers in Ireland, in enterprises with 250 employees or more. The report examines themes including digital transformation, geopolitics, AI and DEI and provides strategic recommendations for organisations to overcome challenges relating to these. BTI 2025 found that while 98% of large enterprises are using AI in some form, 67% believe their organisation can't effectively use AI because their data is too disorganised. As a result, just 30% have integrated and scaled AI models into their systems. Almost a quarter (23%) admitted that they are struggling to find use cases for AI beyond the use of off-the-shelf large language models (LLMs). Despite remaining in the early stages of AI deployment, senior decision-makers are already making fundamental changes to the skills makeup of their teams due to AI's influence and its capabilities. Expleo's research found that 72% of organisations have made changes to the criteria they seek from job candidates because AI can now take on some tasks, while its application requires expertise in other areas. Meanwhile, more than two-thirds (68%) of enterprises who are deploying AI have stopped hiring for certain roles entirely because AI can handle the requirements. The research shows that as AI absorbs tasks in some areas, it is offering workforce opportunities in others. While 30% of enterprise leaders cite workforce displacement as one of their greatest fears resulting from AI, 72% report that they will pay more for team members who have AI-specific skills. The colliding worlds of humans and machines are further revealed in BTI 2025 as 78% of organisations say the correct and ethical use of AI is now covered in their employment contracts. However, the BTI indicates that employers themselves may not be living up to their side of the bargain, as 25% of business and IT leaders conceded a possibility that the AI used for hiring, retention or employee progression in their organisation could be biased. The uncertainty about the objectivity of their AI could explain why 25% of decision-makers are also not confident that their organisation is compliant with the EU AI Act. The Act, it seems, is a bone of contention for many as 76% believe the EU AI Act will hinder adoption of AI in their organisation. Phil Codd, Managing Director, Expleo Ireland, said: "The pace of change that we are seeing from AI is like nothing we have seen before - not even the Industrial Revolution unfolded so quickly or indiscriminately in terms of the industries and people it impacted. And, the workforce's relationship with AI is complicated - on the one hand, they are turning to AI to make their jobs more manageable and to reduce stress, but at the same time, they worry that its broad deployment across their organisation could impinge on their work and therefore their value as an employee. "Business leaders are entering untrodden ground as they try to solve how AI can work for them - both practically and ethically - and without causing clashes within teams. There is no question that there is a new digital colleague joining Irish workplaces and it will define the next chapter of our working lives and economy. However, the success of this seemingly autonomous technology will always depend on the humans and data that back it up. "At Expleo, we work with enterprises to ensure they are reaping the benefits of AI by looking holistically at their people, processes and data. AI requires, and will bring, significant changes...

By David Stephen, who currently does research in conceptual brain science. Several animals have almost comparable environmental reactions to humans, across experiences. But humans are in general smarter. Aside from language, humans are advanced in thinking, imagination, creativity and so forth. How so? It is generally known that problem with a part of the brain may lead to certain problems in the body. It has been proposed that the brain also has language areas, so to speak, or areas responsible for language. Animals and human intelligence This could then mean that even if humans and certain animals have similarities in brain anatomy, there are a lot of things about the human brain, with respect to intelligence, that are different. What is responsible for human intelligence? How is this different from general consciousness? How do humans have what animals do not have? Would humans be able to compete with AI? Nature It can be assumed that nature was the dominant intelligence, before humans conquered nature. The intelligence of nature is spread across the body, the oceans, the atmosphere, on ground and so forth. Humans explored, found many secrets and surpassed. Humans then amassed this intelligence in records, or books. Then, digital, as well. This became a weakness, of human intelligence, where nature was diversified, so to speak. AI Records are now training data for AI, which has become super excellent and would continue to be, with the intense expansion in compute and architecture of AI. AI, like human intelligence, is going to make it obvious that data can be a dessert, not the main course. The components and pathways of intelligence are exceptional enough to make excellent use of incoming data. This makes the difference in what a human makes of the environment, any environment and what an animal makes of it. Human intelligence uses the same components with human consciousness, such that, while intelligence is at work, consciousness, the overall also continues. This could make intelligence sometimes at a disadvantage. It could make human intelligence simply just imitate, such that it does not improve processes. It may try to do things differently towards the same results, but intelligence may be ordinary, because of the importance with consciousness. AI does not have consciousness at the level of humans. AI is based with intelligence. It has access to the sources of all records of human intelligence depths. It may seem to have just the part of language and just the part - so to speak - of intelligence, which is enough for excellence. It does not have functional competition from emotions, feelings, regulations of internal senses. Its intelligence is also information broad. In human society, information could make the difference. For AI, this is now its base. AI is often downplayed because neuroscience has not established a major theory of human intelligence. How Does Human Intelligence Work? Human intelligence can be said to be specific interactional qualities of electrical and chemical signals in some clusters of neurons. This means that the usual kind of interactions for several other conscious functions are different from those of intelligence, including for language. This is what can be theorized to make humans more intelligent that other organisms. However, since the basis of the components are similar, with electrical and chemical signals, cother conscious functions, like pain, or emotions may take some from attention. LLMs AI consciousness research is AI evaluation and benchmark measure, which is then AI safety and alignment research, applicable to large language models [LLMs]. LLMs may not need the model of the external world to surpass humans. The only viable model to know how AI is improving is to explore electrical and chemical signals in sets, in clusters of neurons, conceptually. David Stephen currently does research in conceptual brain science with focus on the electrical and chemical signals for how they me...

When it comes to managing safety at large-scale events, most people think of stewards, barriers, and emergency plans. But behind the scenes, there's a growing role for technology - and one Irish company is leading the charge. Safe Events Global, led by Strategic Director Mark Breen, has quietly built a reputation as an international leader in crowd and event safety - and much of that success is down to the tech they've built in-house. Mark Breen said, "we couldn't find a tech or software platform that really supported what we do as a specialist crowd and event safety company, so we built our own." What began as a bespoke system to streamline internal operations has since evolved into a robust suite of digital tools that now supports clients around the world. With a dedicated six-person Digital Operations Department, Safe Events Global isn't just bolting on tech - they're building it into their DNA. The company's proprietary systems manage everything from live crowd monitoring to risk assessments and communication protocols. "It started as something just for us," says Breen, "but we've iterated and improved it over time. Now we provide similar systems to international clients who face the same complex challenges we do." But Safe Events Global's ambitions go beyond technology for tech's sake. The company's vision is rooted in the belief that the best safety outcomes come from the right people, using the right tools. "Our core pillars are people + process," says Breen. "We integrate the best digital tools and technology to enable skilled safety professionals to be as effective as possible." This people-first approach also extends into training and education. Recognising a gap in formal qualifications for those working in crowd safety, Safe Events Global developed a Professional Diploma in Risk and Safety Management for Crowds and Events, accredited by a UK university. Now, they're working with an Irish university to launch a range of micro-credentials in key safety areas, with a view to creating a 'stackable' qualification path - a major leap forward for an industry where hands-on experience traditionally trumps formal education. "We want to professionalise this space," Breen says. "Ultimately, that means creating a third-level pathway for people who are responsible for the safety of hundreds of thousands of people. We see that as part of our long-term impact." On the ground, Safe Events Global is deeply involved in both local and international events - from music festivals to sporting fixtures - using tech to complement what Breen calls the "art and science" of safety. "There's a danger in adopting too much tech, too fast," he warns. "You still need experienced people who can read a crowd, react quickly, and make calls that an algorithm can't. Tech should support, not replace, that." As events become larger and more complex, and safety becomes ever more scrutinised, Safe Events Global is positioning itself not just as a supplier, but as a thought leader in the space - combining Irish innovation, hands-on expertise, and a future-facing approach to technology. For Mark Breen and his team, the mission is clear: safer events through smarter systems, better-trained people, and thoughtful use of technology - always with humanity at the core. Find out more about Safe Events Global at www.safeevents.ie An Irish Tech News podcast with Mark Breen will be published tomorrow. See more stories here.

Irish digital marketing agency Vroom Digital has been recognised at the 2025 European Search Awards, taking home two category wins for work delivered in partnership with EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. The awards ceremony took place earlier this month in Krakow, Poland, bringing together Europe's leading agencies to celebrate innovation in digital search and performance marketing. Recognised as a benchmark of excellence across the industry, the European Search Awards honour outstanding work in SEO, paid media, and digital PR. Vroom Digital took home two major awards for standout campaigns created in partnership with EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. Competing against agencies from across Europe, the team secured Best Use of PR in a Search Campaign for The Love Story Before 'Love Story': Driving Links Through PR & Storytelling, a campaign that paired emotional narrative with a strategic digital PR approach. They also won Best Use of Social Media in a Search Campaign for The EPIC Untold Story Behind Fairytale of New York, which tapped into nostalgia and platform-specific creative to drive engagement and boost search visibility. Both campaigns were executed in close collaboration with EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, combining emotional storytelling, strategic PR, and targeted digital distribution to drive meaningful engagement and improve search performance. Shane Curtin, CEO & Founder of Vroom Digital, said, "We're incredibly proud to see these campaigns recognised on a European stage. It's a true testament to the strength of our partnership with EPIC and their creative partners, Public House, and the collaborative thinking that drives success on all sides. At Vroom, we've built a team that thrives on delivering culturally relevant, performance-led campaigns - and these awards reflect our commitment to meaningful storytelling that delivers real results. Working with EPIC gave us the opportunity to push creative and strategic boundaries, and to show the impact that smart, well-executed digital - across PR and paid media - can truly have when driven by insight and intention." The agency continues to strengthen its reputation for delivering integrated digital campaigns that balance creativity with performance. These European Search Award wins follow recent recognition at The Spider Awards, Ireland's longest-running digital awards, where Vroom received the Grand Prix and Best in Storytelling award. Vroom Digital delivers tailored SEO, Paid Media, and Digital PR strategies that help clients cut through the noise, build a stronger online presence, and drive measurable growth. See more stories here.

As the peak summer holiday season begins, Irish holidaymakers set for foreign shores are being urged to check they're covered for any disruption which might be caused to their trips as a result of power outages and anti-tourist protests. This follows the power outages in Spain, Portugal and France in late April and local unrest in some Mediterranean tourist hotspots, where anti-tourism sentiment is showing no sign of waning. Experts at Peopl Insurance (Peopl.ie), a nationwide provider of travel insurance, are advising those travelling overseas this summer to be aware of any conditions and restrictions to their travel cover in the event that a protest or power outage disrupts or delays their holiday plans. In the wake of a recent escalation in foreign conflicts, Peopl Insurance is also urging people to understand any restrictions in their cover in the event their holiday is disrupted by war or armed conflicts. Dominic Lumsden, spokesman for Peopl Insurance, said: "Recent years have seen an increase in anti-tourist sentiment in some European tourist hotspots, with locals in some popular resorts protesting against mass tourism. With more anti-tourist protests expected in parts of the Mediterranean this summer, Irish holidaymakers could face travel disruption and delays. The Department of Foreign Affairs recently advised those travelling to Spain to be prepared to adjust their travel plans at short notice if necessary as a result of protests and public gatherings. Irish people with holiday plans for such destinations should ensure they're adequately covered before they travel. This may involve getting a travel disruption add-on as not all standard policies cover loss or damage which arises on foot of civil protests. Similarly, the recent power blackouts in Spain, Portugal and France led to widespread travel delays and flight cancellations, with some tourist hotspots experiencing further, albeit localised, power outages since. If this continues, power outages could become the next big headache for holidaymakers. Furthermore, recent foreign conflicts, including the military activity in India and Pakistan, led to flight cancellations and diversions. In circumstances such as these, it's worth being aware of your air passenger rights as well as where you stand under your travel insurance. Most travel insurance policies offer delayed departure cover, which may offer some protection in this regard, but it's important to check the small print on your policy." Strikes and Extreme Weather Peopl is also urging holidaymakers to ensure they are adequately covered for strikes and extreme weather events. "Strikes - including air traffic control - already caused travel disruption across Europe in April. As strikes often occur throughout the peak holiday months, this is a risk that Irish holidaymakers always need to be mindful of. Some travel insurance policies will cover you if you have to abandon your holiday, if you miss your flight or if your holiday is delayed as a result of an unexpected work stoppage or strike. But other travel insurers don't cover strikes, and with some policies, the cover is more restricted than others. So, it is very important to check the small print of a travel insurance policy before you buy. Holidaymakers should also be mindful of the increased frequency of extreme weather events - such as wildfires and floods, as well the risk of natural disasters - such as earthquakes or volcanoes, as these could all play havoc with their holiday. Losses arising directly or indirectly from adverse weather conditions or natural disasters may or may not be covered by your travel insurance. It's very important therefore that you check your travel insurance policy to find out if you will be covered if wildfires disrupt your holiday or indeed any other extreme weather events or natural disasters - such as, for example, if you have to be evacuated, or have to change plans, or are even injured. Again, you need to check the small print ...

South East Technological University (SETU) has been awarded funding as part of a prestigious European consortium delivering the BECEE project - Balanced and Enhanced Collaboration for an Entrepreneurship Ecosystem - a transformative initiative aimed at fostering entrepreneurial talent and strengthening innovation capacity across Europe. Led by Rachel O'Dowd, Prof. Helen Hughes, and Dr Ultan McCarthy from SETU's Department of Land Sciences, with Dr James O'Sullivan, Head of Innovation and Commercialisation at SETU, the project is delivered in close collaboration with Professor Bill O'Gorman of Dungarvan Enterprise Centre. BECEE is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), with cross-funding and endorsement from EIT Digital, EIT Climate, EIT Food, and EIT Health. The €1.34 million project brings together four forward-looking higher education institutions - Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands), Zurich University of Applied Sciences (Switzerland), South East Technological University (Ireland), and Universiteti "Aleksandër Moisiu" Durrës (Albania) - working in tandem with four innovation-driven enterprises: KPN (Eindhoven, Netherlands), Innofuse (Zurich, Switzerland), Dungarvan Enterprise Centre (Ireland), and Linda Laboratory (Durrës, Albania). Speaking about SETU's role, Professor Helen Hughes said, "We are hugely excited by the opportunity to be part of this excellent European consortium furthering innovative solutions, strengthening and supporting our entrepreneurial talent in the region in conjunction with our industrial partner Dungarvan Enterprise Centre. It further strengthens the focus and expertise available within the Department of Land Sciences for entrepreneurship that has been developing across the last decade." The BECEE project will have a tangible impact on regional and national entrepreneurship by developing practical, scalable models to support innovators, start-ups and SMEs. Activities will include training, mentorship, policy development, and new pathways for academic-industry engagement - all contributing to SETU's strategic ambition of connecting for impact. Dr James O'Sullivan noted, "This initiative reflects SETU's deepening commitment to delivering innovation and knowledge exchange across our region, working hand in hand with our enterprise partners to create a more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem." The project is already underway and will roll out activities over the next two years across the partner regions. It aligns strongly with SETU's focus on collaboration, regional development, and addressing key societal challenges through innovation. More information is available at: https://eit-hei.eu/projects/becee/

We look at the Shokz OpenFit 2 True Wireless Earbuds. See more about them here, and they are available to buy from Harvey Norman also here. Shokz OpenFit 2 True Wireless Earbuds reviewed Out of the box these earbuds were popular with our reviewers. The battery life was good too. The earbuds were taken out for runs and our testers felt that they were pretty good, you would really have to twist and turn your head in some unusual positions to even shake them loose. They are due to come onto the Irish market in the next few days and will be available from DID or Harvey Norman for 189.99 euros. The sound quality is very good, and they are light and snug to wear when you are out and about. The open ear format also ensures some degree of safety too when you are out and about. Running to your favorite tunes is important, but also knowing what is going on in the world around you is also crucial too. The app also allows you to make minor alterations too, so that you can tweak it to get just the right settings for your own personal preferences too. The official 11 hours battery time seems to be about right, and should ensure that you have the days use for these earbuds too. As always the fact that our testers are reluctant to hand the swag back in, means that they must have liked them too. More about Shokz OpenFit 2 True Wireless Earbuds Meet the new Shokz OpenFit 2 True Wireless Earbuds with Groundbreaking Open-Ear Audio Get ready for an exciting new listening experience. Designed for the relentless pursuit of greatness, the OpenFit 2 delivers superior sound quality, comfort, and convenience, setting a new benchmark for open-ear true wireless earbuds. Power-up Open-Ear Audio The OpenFit 2 is equipped with cutting-edge technology that enhances your audio experience, allowing you to immerse yourself in rich, crystal-clear sound. This innovative design not only delivers exceptional audio quality but also ensures a comfortable fit, making it perfect for extended listening sessions. Here's how we do it: Shokz DualBoost Technology By using two independent drivers, this cutting-edge technology processes low and high-frequency sounds separately, delivering a richer and more immersive sound quality. This allows you to enjoy your favourite music and calls while still being aware of your surroundings. New Upgraded OpenBass 2.0 Algorithm The innovative Shokz OpenBass 2.0 algorithm is engineered to deliver powerful and deep bass tones that are precisely directed to your ears. By focusing on sound directionality, OpenBass 2.0 ensures that you can fully enjoy bass-heavy tracks while still maintaining clarity in the higher frequency ranges, resulting in a well-rounded listening experience. Improved DirectPitch 2.0 Technology DirectPitch 2.0 Technology harnesses a variety of advanced engineering techniques to optimize how sound is delivered to your ears while minimizing sound leakage. This innovation results in an improved auditory experience by ensuring that the audio you hear is clear and undistorted, regardless of your environment. DirectPitch 2.0 is tailored to promote focus on your audio without disturbing those around you, making it perfect for both personal use and situations where discretion is important. Perfect Fit and Perfect Comfort. Experience enhanced audio comfort with OpenFit 2, expertly designed to blend effortlessly into your daily life. Its flexible ear hooks combined with Ultra-Soft Silicone 2.0 puts these earbuds in a league of their own. shokz ear hook design and ultra soft silicone united states Flexible Ear Hook Design Inspired by the concept of the golden spiral, the innovative flexible ear hook contours to the unique shape of your ear. The ear hook's integrated nickel-titanium alloy ensures not only a secure fit but also a personalized experience that adapts to your movements, whether you're in the midst of an intense workout or simply going about your daily activities. Ultra-Soft Silicone 2.0 is a state-of-the-art material ...

Saor Water has been named the overall winner of the 2025 Enterprise Ireland Student Entrepreneur Awards. Ryan Ormonde and Jonathan Hoffman, from Saor Water, were named as the Enterprise Ireland Student Entrepreneurs of the Year at a ceremony in TUD Blanchardstown, Dublin, where they were presented with their prize by Kevin Sherry, Interim CEO, Enterprise Ireland. Ten cutting-edge innovations which address a range of global challenges were shortlisted for the final of the 44th annual Enterprise Ireland Student Entrepreneur Awards, and these included cutting-edge medtech devices, sustainable solutions and pioneering sports tech-focused innovations. The Enterprise Ireland Student Entrepreneur Awards is focused on supporting students to turn their smart ideas into commercial businesses, and aims to encourage and stimulate entrepreneurship by helping students take what are often their first steps towards commercial success. This annual initiative, which invites applications from third-level student innovators, is co-sponsored by Cruickshank, Grant Thornton and the Local Enterprise Offices. This year's overall winner, Saor Water, provides a bespoke canned water solution for brands who are seeking a sustainable alternative to plastic bottles. They offer custom-branded aluminium cans and a low-minimum order service, which includes design, compliance, and logistics, and they are already working with high-profile clients such as Mercedes-Benz and Sculpted by Aimee. As the overall winners of this year's competition, Technological University Dublin students Ryan Ormonde and Jonathan Hoffman have won a €10,000 prize, as well as mentoring supports from Enterprise Ireland experts and advisors, focused on supporting them to develop their products and explore new market opportunities. Other prizes presented at this year's ceremony, which was hosted in TUD on Friday, included; The Cruickshank High Achieving Merit Award and €5,000 was presented to Max Crinion-Morgan for his innovation, RespÉire. The Grant Thornton High Achieving Merit Award and €5,000 was presented to David Cashman for his company, The WellSchools Network. The Local Enterprise Office High Achieving Merit Award and €5,000 was presented to Sean O'Sullivan for his product, Lion's Reign. The Enterprise Ireland Academic Award, recognising the contribution of a third-level project supervisor, was awarded to Dr Margaret Tynan from South East Technological University. The other six finalists from this year's competition also received a prize of €1,500 each from the Enterprise Ireland Merit Awards Fund. In addition, this year's winners will also benefit from comprehensive business advice and mentoring support from Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Office, Intellectual Property consultancy and protection from Cruickshank and business plan development from Grant Thornton. Speaking at the awards ceremony, Kevin Sherry, Interim CEO of Enterprise Ireland, said: "The Enterprise Ireland Student Entrepreneur Awards is an important annual event that honours students who are delivering innovative solutions which have the potential to drive real and positive change in society. "At Enterprise Ireland, Irish entrepreneurs and businesses are at the heart of everything we do. They are economic cornerstones in communities across the country. Our key objective is to Accelerate Sustainable Irish Business so that, in time, exporting Irish companies can become the primary driver of our economy. Key to this is strengthening our pipeline of early-stage companies with global potential, such as these innovators we are honouring in this year's Student Entrepreneur Awards. These Awards are a powerful example of how we can foster ambition, innovation, and international success from the very beginning of the entrepreneurial journey. "I would like to congratulate all of the finalists in this year's competition. You are the leaders of tomorrow - we look forward to supporting your journey and wish you eve...

Mitsubishi Electric has partnered with Irish tech company EVHACS to launch a new product for the residential and commercial market: the world's first integrated heat pump and electric vehicle (EV) charger. This groundbreaking collaboration merges Mitsubishi Electric's cutting-edge heat pump and air conditioning systems with EVHACS' patented EV charging technology, creating a single, compact unit capable of both heating and cooling spaces and charging electric vehicles. One installation. One power connection. Two solutions. The integrated system will allow homeowners, property developers, and commercial operators to simplify their infrastructure by combining two vital energy technologies in one. This results in reduced installation complexity, faster deployment, lower total system costs, and minimal impact on building aesthetics. "This partnership marks a major leap forward in sustainable building technology," said Ciaran Moody, President Mitsubishi Electric Ireland. "We are proud that our Irish team is at the forefront of this innovation, pioneering the future of smart, connected homes and businesses by combining two critical technologies into one intelligent system. This solution reflects Mitsubishi Electric's commitment to driving the energy transition through practical, scalable innovation." The integrated system enables maximum energy efficiency, offering a powerful, future-proof solution for the decarbonised buildings of tomorrow. By intelligently sharing available electrical capacity between heating, cooling and EV charging functions, the system helps prevent overload, avoids costly grid upgrades, and ensures optimal performance even during peak demand. "Customers are looking for smarter, simpler ways to adopt low-carbon technologies," continued Ciaran. "By partnering with EVHACS, we're creating a solution that delivers on both convenience and sustainability. It's a major leap forward in how we think about the connected home and workplace." Key benefits of the integrated Mitsubishi Electric + EVHACS system: Simplified Installation: By combining renewable heating, cooling and smart EV charging in a single unit, only one electrical connection is required - saving time, space, and materials. Lower Cost of Ownership: By eliminating the need for separate EV chargers and additional cabling or civil works, the combined solution reduces both upfront installation and long-term maintenance costs. End users benefit from a lower total system cost, while also gaining two essential energy systems in one. Space Efficiency: The all-in-one format is especially valuable in urban, suburban, or commercial environments where space is limited. This makes the integrated system ideal for retrofits, apartments, townhouses, and commercial buildings where external wall space or electrical capacity might otherwise limit the ability to install multiple systems. Smart Energy Use: The system includes intelligent controls that allow users to manage both their heating, cooling and EV charging from a single interface. Smart scheduling and connectivity features help optimise energy consumption based on tariffs, occupancy, or energy demand, maximising comfort and convenience while reducing energy waste. Dynamic Load Balancing: One of the most significant advantages of this integrated solution is its ability to dynamically balance electrical loads between the heat pump and the EV charger. This ensures the system never draws more power than the available supply can handle, helping to prevent overloads or the need for costly electrical panel or grid upgrades. It also supports participation in demand-side management and future smart grid applications. EVHACS' proprietary technology transforms Mitsubishi Electric's award-winning heat pumps and air conditioning units into dual-purpose systems without compromising on performance or efficiency. The integration supports AC charging and is designed to work seamlessly within home energy management systems. "This i...

EasyGo, Ireland's leading EV charging network, has partnered with the Department of Transport to launch a first-of-its-kind national pilot scheme aimed at removing one of the biggest barriers to electric vehicle adoption in Ireland. The Shared Charging Initiative will address the challenge faced by many urban and suburban residents who lack access to off-street EV parking and, by extension, home charging. Through the scheme, homeowners can share their private EV chargers with neighbours and the wider public via the EasyGo platform - creating a shared, community-powered solution to charging accessibility that is both practical and accessible. The scheme will launch as a pilot in selected locations, with participation open to homeowners in Kilcock, Co. Kildare; Dingle, Co. Kerry; and the Dublin neighbourhoods of Finglas, Stoneybatter and Phibsborough. Those interested in participating in Shared Charging can apply through the website, with consideration being given to their property and location. If successful, participants are provided with an EasyGo EV charger free of charge and can then share access to their private EV chargers with neighbours and members of the public via the EasyGo platform, providing a practical solution in areas where off-street parking is limited or unavailable. The pilot will continue throughout 2025 and aims to gather valuable data to inform future EV policy and infrastructure planning. Shared charging models have shown promise internationally in helping reduce pressure on public networks, promoting sustainable transport, and strengthening local community ties. Ollie Chatten, CEO of EasyGo, said: "We are delighted to officially launch the Shared Charging Initiative. This scheme has the power to reshape how communities think about EV infrastructure, enabling people to participate directly in Ireland's low-emission future. It's a meaningful step toward inclusive, scalable charging access." Welcoming the rollout of the pilot scheme, Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien, Minister for the Transport, said: "This innovative pilot reflects how local action can support national ambition. By enabling homeowners to share access to EV chargers, the Shared Charging Scheme taps into the power of the community to close infrastructure gaps, accelerate EV adoption, and help achieve our climate goals. It's a practical, inclusive, and forward-thinking initiative that strengthens the resilience and accessibility of Ireland's charging network."

Explosive experiments, fossil finds, flying toilet paper and hands-on science drew thousands to Fitzgerald Park in Cork City last weekend, as Ireland's largest outdoor STEM celebration once again thrilled visitors of all ages. Cork Carnival of Science 2025, supported by Cork City Council and Research Ireland, took place on June 7th and 8th in the heart of the city, delivering two days packed with scientific spectacle, family fun, and unforgettable learning moments. An estimated 20,000 people attended the free festival, enjoying everything from live experiments and nature-based discovery zones to walkabout science shows and gravity-defying stunts. Highlights of the weekend included crowd favourites such as RTÉ's Mark the Science Guy with his electrifying Storm Chaser show, the Air Force spectacle by Simply Science, and the colourful chemistry of Bubbling Botanicals by Science 2 Life. Budding palaeontologists brought rocks to be examined at the Fossil Roadshow, while families engaged with over 50 STEM exhibits led by Ireland's top research centres, educators, and scientific outreach groups. Throughout Fitzgerald Park, visitors explored interactive zones focused on everything from microbiomes and biodiversity to robotics, renewable energy and sports science. Live science shows ran across three performance spaces and were joined by roaming science performers who mixed bubbles, circus skills, sleight-of-hand and spectacle to wow the crowds. All shows were free, non-ticketed, and repeated throughout the weekend, making it easy for families to join in at their own pace. Key Statistics from the 2025 Cork Carnival of Science Over 20,000 people attended across the two days 300 scientists, researchers, performers and volunteers took part 50+ interactive stalls and activities 45 live science shows across multiple pop-up venues, marquees and stretch tents. 13 food vendors and family amenities on-site €300,000+ economic impact Commenting on the weekend's success, Carnival of Science Organiser Mervyn Horgan, said: "The Cork Carnival of Science is about sparking curiosity and showing that science belongs to everyone. It's a free, inclusive event that encourages discovery in a way that's fun and memorable - and we're thrilled to see families returning year after year, often attending on both days. This year's event had something for everyone, from bubbling beakers to dancing robots, a bed of nails and prehistoric fossils. We're incredibly grateful to our partners, performers and the public who made it such a success." Cork City Council has been promoting STEM engagement through a variety of projects ,including Lifetime Lab at the Old Cork Waterworks for over 20 years, with Cork Carnival of Science now established as a cornerstone of that effort. Its unique format - bringing science out of the lab and into the outdoors - ensures that children and adults can explore real-world research in a relaxed and playful environment. The festival also prioritised accessibility and inclusion, with sign language interpretation at scheduled live shows, and a dedicated quiet zone near the Sky Garden for those needing a break from the sensory buzz. Cork Carnival of Science 2025 was presented by Cork City Council, supported by Research Ireland. For updates or to explore highlights from the weekend, visit www.corkcity.ie/corkcarnivalofscience .

eir, Ireland's leading telecommunications provider, today announces the nationwide launch of its ultra-fast 5 Gigabit (5Gb) fibre broadband, setting a new benchmark for speed, performance, and connectivity in Irish homes. This follows eir's February rollout of Ireland's first WiFi 7 system, introducing Wide-Fi, a cutting-edge mesh network that eliminates dead zones and supports up to 200 devices - delivering speeds twice as fast as WiFi 6. eir has built Ireland's largest fibre network, now available to more than 1.3 million homes and businesses - and expanding every day. As part of a €1.7 billion investment in digital infrastructure, eir is upgrading eligible 2Gb customers on its WiFi 7-powered Wide-Fi system to 5Gb speeds - significantly enhancing how people work, stream, and connect. eir's powerful new 5Gb speed tier is available today - and as a major bonus, thousands of customers who signed up for WiFi 7 and 2 Gigabit fibre plans earlier this year will be automatically upgraded at no extra cost. The launch comes at a perfect time, as one of the world's most anticipated game updates is set to drop in the coming days. With an estimated 80GB download size, eir 5Gb fibre can handle the entire update in as little as two minutes - more than twice as fast as 2Gbps connections - ensuring less time waiting and more time playing. "With 5Gb speeds and cutting-edge WiFi 7, eir is delivering the ultimate broadband experience for busy modern homes - where everyone is online, all at once, for everything from streaming the latest GAA match to studying, gaming, working remotely, or simply unwinding with a movie," said Kealan Donoghue, Managing Director of eir's Consumer and Small Business Division. "Only eir offers this powerful combination of next-generation WiFi 7 and 5Gb fibre connectivity in Ireland - making us the clear choice for families who expect more from their internet. With the launch of 5Gb fibre, we're offering customers next-generation connectivity at incredible value, and we're proud to reward our early adopters by upgrading their service for free." eir 5Gb fibre isn't just for gaming and streaming - it's engineered to support the evolving needs of modern households and businesses: Reliable, multi-device smart home support Ultra-low latency for online gaming and AR/VR experiences Lightning-fast cloud access for remote work and content creation Seamless 4K/8K streaming, HD video calls, and file transfers - all at once From 4 June, eir's 5Gb broadband with WiFi 7 replaces the 2Gb plan for eir customers, available from just €49.99 per month - significantly undercutting rival offerings. eir customers benefit from the latest WiFi 7 technology for superior in-home performance. With fibre-to-the-home usage up nearly 40% year-on-year, eir continues to expand its future-ready network to meet growing demand. To learn more or check availability, visit eir.ie. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

A visionary agreement between Höegh Autoliners and green industry pioneer Nordic Circles launches a national project that will revolutionize the handling of decommissioned ships. Using Norwegian technology, labor, and industry, old ships will be upcycled in Norway into certified building materials - without melting, without export, and with up to 97% lower emissions to create green ship upcycling. Nordic Circles and Höegh Autoliners are announcing the agreement on the Blue Talks stage at Nor-Shipping, in front of maritime leaders from around the world, including high-profile speakers such as John Kerry and Andrew Forrest of Fortescue, underscoring the global significance of the initiative. Norwegian green ship upcycling adventure The project establishes a circular value chain in which decommissioned ships are repurposed as environmentally friendly building materials in Norway. The agreement covers up to eight ships from Höegh Autoliners, to complete the first upcycling in 2026. These eight ships alone could reduce carbon emissions in the construction industry by 100,000 tons of CO2. "We aim to be the greenest in deep-sea shipping and have set a net-zero target by 2040. That's why we're building the world's largest and most environmentally friendly car carriers and investing in making green ammonia a viable fuel already from 2027," says Sebjørn Dahl, COO of Höegh Autoliners. "With this agreement, we ensure sustainability from cradle to grave and lay the foundation for a new green industrial adventure in Norway. We are extremely proud of that." The agreement is worth NOK 1.3 billion. The first vessel is scheduled for decommissioning at AF Offshore Decom in Vats. Norway's Minister of Climate and Environment, Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, will comment on the agreement at the Maritime Bergen stand (C04-33) at Nor-Shipping on Wednesday 3 June from 11:15 to 12:00. There will be interview opportunities with Höegh Autoliners, Nordic Circle and the Minister. Norway as a green industrial leader in Europe Globally, the construction industry accounts for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions, with steel being one of the largest contributors. That's why the core of the project is simple: Steel should not be exported and melted down - it should be reused in Norway and Europe. Norwegian shipyards and the steel industry are being developed into a competitive alternative to Turkey, which currently holds the EU's only large-scale ship recycling capacity. The result is mass-produced steel with minimal emissions, under commercial terms. The project is already supported by the full range of Norwegian public funding instruments through the Green Platform initiative. The founders of Nordic Circles are behind the initiative and lead the consortium. AF Offshore Decom is the main contractor. Participants include leading companies from across the value chain, such as Statsbygg, the municipalities of Oslo and Bergen, Skanska, Green Yard, Equinor, DNB, and SINTEF. "This is circular economy at its best - managing to build a sustainable industry from what we used to export as hazardous waste to Asia. The eight ships will save society around 100,000 tons of CO2 and pave the way for mobilizing shipyards and shipping companies across Europe," says John Jacobsen, CEO of Nordic Circles and Oppsirk. Unlocking a global potential Norway has the fifth largest merchant fleet by value, and when including the EU's share, we see a market potential covering 45% of the world's merchant fleet. A doubling in decommissioning assignments is expected, driven by new climate regulations and an aging fleet. Along the Norwegian coast, the maritime industry has developed seven EU-approved shipyards capable of decommissioning and upcycling. Among them, AF Offshore Decom at Vats is considered the world's most environmentally friendly decommissioning facility. All Norwegian yards have additional capacity, and several are equipped to handle large vessels. This agreement is therefore the first ...

Sogeti is part of the CapGemini Group in Ireland, and is a leading technology provider that works alongside businesses to leverage emerging trends and technologies to identify, develop and deliver cutting-edge solutions. Sogeti employs 230 people in Ireland and serves 40 clients in Ireland including AWS, Microsoft and OpenText. To find out more about Sogeti Ronan spoke to James Govan the CEO of Sogeti. James talks about his background, what Sogeti does, how he managed to scale up sogeti and more. More about James Govan: Born in Scotland, James has been CEO of Sogeti since 2013. In that time, James has helped to rebuild the organisational structure, growing headcount from 65 to ~200 in Ireland and from 0 to +400 near and offshore in Europe and India working on Irish projects. Outside of work, James is a keen cricketer, having represented Scotland at senior level for over 10 years, gaining 54 full caps. He has also represented Fife Schools, Midlands Schools and Scottish Students in rugby. See more podcasts here.

R&D initiatives underscore companies' commitment to co-developing new cooling, power, building management and control systems for digital and physical AI data centres Partnership will underpin Europe's AI infrastructure ambitions, aligning with the EU Commission's 'AI Continent Action Plan' and its 'InvestAI' initiative Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, today announced it is collaborating with NVIDIA to serve the growing demand for sustainable, AI-ready infrastructure. Together, Schneider Electric and NVIDIA are advancing research and development (R&D) initiatives for power, cooling, controls, and high-density rack systems to enable the next generation of AI factories across Europe and beyond. Schneider Electric AI Factories With NVIDIA This unique global partnership, announced during NVIDIA GTC Paris, brings together the world leaders in sustainability and accelerated computing to support the European Union's AI infrastructure ambitions and its "InvestAI" initiative, which plans to mobilize a €200 billion investment in AI. Leveraging its expertise in AI-ready infrastructure, sustainability, and grid coordination, Schneider Electric and NVIDIA are together responding to the European Commission's "AI Continent Action Plan," which outlines a shared mission to set up at least 13 AI factories across Europe, while establishing up to five AI gigafactories. "Schneider Electric and NVIDIA are not just partners - our teams are driving advanced R&D, co-developing the infrastructure needed to power the next wave of AI factories globally," said Olivier Blum, CEO of Schneider Electric. "Together, we've seen tremendous success in deploying next-generation power and liquid cooling solutions, purpose-built for AI data centres. This strategic partnership - bringing together the world leaders in sustainability and accelerated computing - allows us to further accelerate this momentum, pushing the boundaries of what's possible for the AI workloads of tomorrow." "AI is the defining technology of our time - the most transformative force reshaping our world," said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO, NVIDIA. "Together with Schneider Electric, we are building AI factories: the essential infrastructure that brings AI to every company, industry, and society." Announces New NVIDIA-Enabled Infrastructure Solutions In support of today's announcement, Schneider Electric has also unveiled a suite of new AI-ready data centre solutions, including new EcoStruxure Pod and Rack Infrastructure. Designed to accelerate AI developments globally, the Prefabricated Modular EcoStruxure Pod Data Centre is a scalable, pod-based architecture, enabling rapid AI data centre deployment. As part of this, a new Schneider Electric Open Compute Project (OCP) inspired rack system has also been developed to support the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 platform that uses the NVIDIA MGX modular architecture, integrating Schneider Electric into NVIDIA HGX and MGX ecosystems for the first time. These new announcements build on a series of milestones shared by the two global leaders earlier this year, including Schneider Electric and ETAP unveiling the world's first digital twin for electrical and large-scale power systems in AI factories using the NVIDIA Omniverse Blueprint. Together, Schneider Electric and NVIDIA have also co-developed a series of full electrical and liquid cooling-based reference designs as an approved CDU vendor for NVIDIA - many of which also include solutions from Motivair's liquid cooling portfolio, following its acquisition by Schneider Electric in March 2025. Through this expanded and deepened strategic partnership, Schneider Electric and NVIDIA will continue to accelerate their infrastructure initiatives, fast-tracking new product rollouts and reference designs to build the AI factories of the future. About Schneider Electric Schneider's purpose is to create Impact by empowering all to make the most of our energy...

The IMI (Irish Management Institute) has published new research highlighting a significant digital readiness gap among Ireland's leadership. Just 5% of decision makers surveyed have the skills to fully harness the potential of AI and other digital innovations, while more than 4 in 10 (44%) report having little to no knowledge of how to strategically deploy AI within their organisation. As regulatory pressure intensifies and cyber threats become more sophisticated, the research also reveals that just 4% of leaders express high levels of confidence in their capacity to protect and enhance organisational cybersecurity. Meanwhile, 42% report having limited knowledge and expertise on how to strengthen their organisation's cyber controls. The IMI Leadership Barometer surveyed 459 senior leaders from private, public, and semi-state organisations across Ireland, providing key insights into the attitudes and capabilities of decision makers navigating a complex business environment shaped by economic and geopolitical disruption. As leaders respond to the threat of potential trade tariffs and ongoing volatility, 1 in 3 (33%) decision makers say they are confident about their capacity to successfully steer their organisation through this period of disruption and achieve key business objectives. Conversely, 8% say they are not confident in their ability to navigate the volatility ahead. The findings also reveal that nearly half (45%) of decision makers report gaps in financial leadership capabilities, including managing investments and maximising growth. Just 7% of leaders report having excellent financial skills that can unlock business growth. Despite these challenges, the research highlights strength in leadership around culture and inclusion. A majority of leaders (62%) report having a high level of awareness and understanding of how to foster diversity and inclusion in their workplace - an encouraging signal amid global rollbacks in this space. Commenting on the release of the IMI Barometer, Shane O'Sullivan, CEO of the IMI, said: "As organisations across Ireland face unprecedented economic and geopolitical volatility, decision makers are tasked with leading through this disruption while ensuring their business is fit for the future. Published today, the IMI Leadership Barometer provides a timely insight into the capabilities of Irish business leaders to respond to these challenges and seize new opportunities for growth. "Despite the complexity of this environment, it's clear from our findings that many leaders are navigating this evolving landscape with resilience and a measured degree of confidence. From the Covid-19 pandemic to the Brexit crisis and supply chain challenges, decision makers in Ireland have learned from their experience leading their organisations through considerable turbulence in recent years and have developed the skills to successfully adapt, and grow, in this new era of volatility. "However, significant hurdles remain ahead. From keeping pace with advances in AI to enhancing financial leadership skills, our findings identify a number of weaknesses in current leadership capabilities. Addressing these gaps will be crucial to ensuring leaders are equipped with the key capabilities to navigate the change ahead and drive the future growth and competitiveness of business in Ireland." For more on the future of leadership and the key capabilities necessary to drive growth and innovation over the coming years, explore the IMI's white paper 'Why Learning Today Can Shape Tomorrow' here.

Solar power reached its highest recorded figure on the national electricity grid in May, while overall, almost a third of electricity came from renewable sources last month, according to provisional data from EirGrid. EirGrid is responsible for operating, developing and enhancing Ireland's electricity grid and market. It balances electricity supply to customer demand in real time from the National Control Centre. 173,163 MWh (megawatt hours) of electricity was produced from grid-scale solar in May, representing 6.5% of electricity generated for the month. For context, in May 2023, 2.7% of all electricity came from solar power, accounting for 71,731 MWh of electricity. There were also a number of new peaks for grid-scale solar activity for a one-minute period, reaching 755 MW at one point on the 17th of May 2025, beating the record of 752 MW set two days earlier on the 15th of May. The previous record of 750 MW was recorded on March 24th 2025. This followed a new peak wind power record on the grid set in February. Of the 32.5% of electricity generated from renewables in May, the majority came from wind, which accounted for 22.5%, while 6.5% came from solar, and the remainder of renewable generation came from other sources, including hydro and biomass. Looking at the rest of the fuel mix, gas generation accounted for 39% of the electricity produced, with 22.8% being imported via interconnection, 4.6% coming from coal, and the remaining 1.1% from other sources. Overall electricity system demand was 2,671 GWh for May 2025, similar to 2,679 GWh in May 2024. Currently, the electricity grid can accommodate up to 75% of electricity from renewable sources at any one time: what is known as the system non-synchronous penetration (SNSP) limit. EirGrid is rolling out an unprecedented programme of grid reinforcements, upgrades and new infrastructure across the country, enabling the connection of further generation sources to maintain a secure and reliable power supply. Diarmaid Gillespie, Director of System Operations at EirGrid, said: "While onshore wind remains the prominent renewable source of electricity in Ireland, solar power has become a notable feature of the Irish power system over the last two years in particular, and we may see further records being reached over the coming summer months. We also continue to see electricity imports contributing significantly to our fuel mix in meeting electricity demand. Operating a power system with electricity generated from variable renewables such as wind and solar, mixed with conventional generation, is complex and technically very challenging. To maintain stability on the grid, EirGrid engineers need to be able to adjust to and meet fluctuating energy demand with supply at all times." More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Expleo, the global technology, engineering and consulting service provider, and Comit, the tech specialist PR and communications agency, have announced that they have won a Marketing Excellence Award at this year's Tech Excellence Awards. The companies were recognised by a judging panel of tech industry peers for their work on Expleo's Business Transformation Index (BTI). For six years, Expleo and Comit have collaborated on the BTI, an annual market study that provides insights into the business, technology and transformation plans and successes of some of Ireland's largest enterprises. The companies were recognised for the impact that the report - and accompanying PR and marketing campaign - has had on Expleo's brand profile and customer growth. Expleo and Comit were selected from a shortlist of six entries for the Marketing Excellence Award. They were announced at a prestigious awards ceremony, hosted by Mediateam, held in the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire. Sorcha Cunningham, head of publishing and digital, The Sunday Times, presented the award. The sixth edition of the Business Transformation Index will launch on 12th June 2025. The report explores opportunities and challenges facing enterprises in Ireland in 2025, including economic resilience, AI, DEI, talent and cybersecurity. Siobhán Smith, global brand & communications director, Expleo, said: "When the Expleo brand was born six years ago, we identified a gap in the market for a report like the BTI. Business leaders were starved of Irish data around transformation programmes and the challenges and opportunities therein. The report's impact has grown exponentially since then, as it helps enterprises to benchmark their progress against others, share knowledge and learnings within Irish industry, while also elevating the Expleo brand. "At Expleo, we are known for being a reliable partner with bold ambitions. The BTI's success, underlined by this award, highlights how this PR and marketing campaign is positioning Expleo as a real challenger in transformation services. We are proud to celebrate its impact with the hugely talented team in Comit." Allan Chapman, managing director, Comit, said: "At Comit, we have been helping technology companies to grow for almost 30 years. This award is a testament to the impact that we have on clients' businesses and our dedication to helping them to achieve their goals. "The BTI is a standout campaign because of the trust and openness between our teams. We are constantly inspired by Expleo and their drive to lead conversations, which is what makes them such a remarkable partner. This is an award that is as much about partnership as it is about marketing excellence and I am incredibly proud of our team for their role in it." See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Children's Health Foundation's thrilling team building and fundraising challenge, Clash of the Companies, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, during which time the event has raised over €2m. What makes a great team? Collaboration, creative problem-solving… and a little friendly competition! Clash of the Companies ticks all those boxes and more! This hugely popular day will take place on Friday, 18th July starting at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. Companies enter teams of eight to compete in a high energy and collaborative event with a jungle theme. They will tackle challenges, solve puzzles, bond with colleagues around the streets of Dublin, and most importantly - make a real difference. Each member of the team will receive a t-shirt and goody bag on arrival and on return, there will be lots of food and entertainment for everyone followed by the prize giving. There is definitely no better way to spend a Friday afternoon! Clash of the Companies, Children's Health Foundation, July 18th We have companies of all kinds and sizes participating this year, including accountants, lawyers, IT specialists, recruiters, engineers and a couple of bankers thrown in for good measure. And then we have multinational companies right through to a couple of companies with just enough numbers to fill a team. All vying to become Champions of Clash! Funds raised from Clash of the Companies 2025 will go towards giving every sick child in Children's Health Ireland's hospitals and urgent care centres in Connolly, Crumlin, Temple Street and Tallaght the very best chance. By taking part, companies will help Children's Health Foundation purchase life-saving equipment, invest in ground-breaking new paediatric research, fund patient and family supports and invest in new and emerging therapies. Every year, hundreds of thousands of children rely on the expert care and compassion of the Children's Health Ireland staff, and events like Clash of the Companies play a crucial role in helping them to provide this care. Nessa O'Reilly, Head of Strategic Giving at Children's Health Foundation said, "We are incredibly grateful to all the companies and participants who support Clash of the Companies. Your participation helps us raise vital funds to bring hope and joy to the lives of sick children and their families." Don't miss out on the opportunity to be part of this unforgettable event and help make a positive impact in the lives of sick children. Sign up your team today at childrenshealth.ie/clash See more breaking stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Bank of Ireland is warning customers about a dramatic increase this week in reports and cases of an attempted 'safe account' scam. Customers should be on particular alert for fraudulent texts that attempt to lure them into to calling a fake 'bank' phoneline - where the account holder is then duped into transferring funds to their secondary account, in most cases Revolut, and in turn a 'safe account', which is controlled by a fraudster. Reports of the scam to Bank of Ireland's fraud line and Text Checker service have been on the increase since the start of the year and this week have shown an alarming increase, with daily reports this week over 10 times the number of those reported weekly in April and May. How it works: Customer gets a text message to their phone, requesting that they call a phone number about a suspicious transaction/or activity. The texts claim to be from Bank of Ireland and can drop into the thread of a genuine BOI text: "Did you login from a new device?"; "Do you recognise this transaction?"; or "A transaction for [value] to [merchant] was declined and your card has been placed on hold" - followed by "if this was not you / if you don't recognise this / etc. please call us back on [callback phone number]. Callback numbers are usually landline numbers including 01 / 1800 / regional codes. The callback number will be answered by someone claiming to be from Bank of Ireland, and that there has been suspicious transactions and the customer's account is compromised. The victim is then asked if they have a Revolut / or other secondary account. If they say yes, they are told that they should move all the money in their BOI account into their own Revolut account/ or secondary account. The fraudster doesn't ask for access to the customer's account, and do not ask for any security details like PIN's or codes - avoiding common 'red flags' associated with fraud. The victim is then told they then need to move their money from their Revolut account to a new 'safe' account. Nicola Sadlier, Head of Fraud, Bank of Ireland said: "We have been seeing a concerning pattern in the increase of this type of fraud. This week's escalation has resulted in the highest number of reports in a single day of this particular type of fraud, so we need our customers and the general public to be vigilant and recognise the warning signs. "Our main advice is to look out for these texts and do not call back. And remember that Bank of Ireland will never ask you to move your money to another account to keep it safe. If you think you have been a victim of fraud, call the bank's fraud team immediately on the 24/7 freephone line 1800 946 764". What Bank of Ireland customers can do If in doubt, call your trusted numbers, phone number on back of your physical card or from phone contact details in your mobile App. See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

We sent one of our team, Linda Higgins, to investigate the The Chancery Hotel in Dublin as potential destination for out of town tech visitors to the capital city. Right in the heart of historic Dublin, a stone's throw from both Dublin Castle and Christchurch cathedral, the Chancery Hotel offers a visitor a well-placed location to navigate and explore the streets of Dublin by foot. A welcoming, bright, and compact foyer holds the reception, coffee dock, bar, and the Fawn restaurant. An attentive staff moved through check-in and check-out quickly and seamlessly. The Chancery Hotel reviewed The lifts are door-key activated and give that extra sense of security and privacy. The twin room was compact, well-appointed, and furnished in a modern but warm style of decor. All lights and curtains are touch-button operated as was the pocket door for the bathroom. The room was very clean with nice touches like a steamer for clothes, along with all other standard amenities. The beds were comfortable however for anyone with mobility issues, the height of the beds could be disconcerting. While one likes to be treated like a princess, climbing up and into the bed, "princess and the pea-style" could be a little daunting for those shorter of stature or creaky of hips. The room was quiet and sleep was good. For those who are here for work, there is a perfectly proportioned desk with lamp, phone, and comfortable desk in chair in the room. Nice natural light coming in too. USB sockets were ample (by the desk and beds) and the WiFi speed was fast and reliable. A perfect place to get some work done. The small bar area below would also provide a change of scenery, as would the many convenient options around the city. The toiletries in the bathroom were generously sized and of a very high quality. The forest green-piped bathrobes and slippers were perfect for accessing the wellness spa and treatment rooms. The spa and gym are small and functional but well looked after and nicely designed. A small sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, and ice fountain proved to be a good start to the day. The supply of drinking water and slippers were welcome touches and the sustainability aspects were clearly noted without being overt. The gym is perfect for a quick workout and in a city built for walking is all you would need. The treatment rooms could benefit from more subdued lighting to create a more relaxed environment when receiving a treatment. The therapist was very proficient but a more personalised massage would have heightened the experience. The option of some gentle music would have been welcomed. Dinner in the Fawn restaurant was superb. Beautiful service from the staff which was attentive and welcoming. The food was presented in an attractive and moreish manner. Lots of umami flavour that meant each mouthful was a feast for the senses. Portions were generous and each element on the plate was well thought out. The service between courses was never rushed but was well-timed. The decor of the restaurant is modern with a warm Scandinavian energy. The self-service breakfast was also in the Fawn restaurant. Again, the staff are very aware of the ebb and flow of a staggered breakfast sitting and moved seamlessly between guests ensuring that tea and coffee were served when requested. There was a wide and excellent mix of standard and continental breakfast options available. There was no sense of urgency from staff as people milled and took their time before embarking on the day. Overall, an excellent experience. A safe, secure, convenient location with attentive staff (from housekeeping to front of house). Well worth a stay when visiting Dublin. One caveat is that in the room brochure information it would have been good to have known more about the beehive, mushroom kingdom and the rooftop garden as well, as they sounded like interesting and cutting edge features, especially for a hotel with such a commitment to sustainability. More about the Chancery Hotel The Chan...

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a global leader in IT services, consulting, and business solutions, has expanded its two-decade-long strategic partnership with Virgin Atlantic, a premium long-haul UK airline, to accelerate its digital transformation journey. Under this renewed seven-year agreement, the two organisations will deepen their collaboration to strengthen the technological foundations of Virgin Atlantic, enable modern airline retailing, deliver greater operational resilience, and enhance customer experience. As part of this long-term engagement, TCS, which operates a Global Delivery Centre in Ireland, will modernise Virgin Atlantic's core technology operations by implementing a cloud-first, AI-powered digital core that enhances business agility, improves the resilience of systems, and allows for a higher scale of operations. TCS will implement a modern, AI-powered technology estate that will unify the airline's technology assets and deploy an advanced Technology Command Centre. This will serve as the nerve centre for transforming Virgin Atlantic's technology operations. Virgin Atlantic's Technology Command Centre, co-developed with TCS, will provide real-time operational insights to enhance decision making, streamline technology operations and empower front-line staff with up-to-date, contextual data. This will support the elevation of both customer and crew experiences, enabling efficient, smarter and more sustainable journeys, and a superior hyper-personalised customer experience across every touchpoint of airline travel. Oli Byers, Chief Financial Officer, Virgin Atlantic, said: "We exist to make our customers smile, it's that simple. As we look ahead to this next phase of our digital transformation, technology will enable us to deliver smarter, simpler, and more memorable experiences. TCS has been a partner for more than two decades, and together we'll continue to build towards our vision of becoming the most loved travel company, powered by AI technology to modernise our systems, drive efficiency and deliver for our customers." With deep aviation expertise and contextual knowledge, TCS will utilise its proprietary solutions, such as TCS Cognix and TCS AI WisdomNext, to accelerate transformation, enable experience-centric services, and enhance service delivery. TCS's bouquet of technology solutions will support Virgin Atlantic in building a resilient and sustainable digital core, enabling the airline to innovate continuously while delivering value across revenue, efficiency, and customer experience metrics, and become sustainably profitable. These solutions will be delivered through a dedicated onsite team of TCS associates equipped with a deep contextual knowledge of Virgin Atlantic's environment. Amit Kapur, Country Head - UK & Ireland, Tata Consultancy Services, said, "At TCS, we believe being perpetually adaptive is a necessity in today's dynamic business landscape. Our two-decade partnership with Virgin Atlantic is a testament to a shared vision. By combining our deep aviation expertise with advanced capabilities in data, AI, and engineering, we're helping Virgin Atlantic build intelligent, scalable digital ecosystems and redefine the future of travel." TCS has been a transformation partner to Virgin Atlantic, which ferried over 5 million passengers worldwide in 2024 and connects over 30 destinations globally. For over two decades, TCS has been instrumental in driving innovation and agility across mission-critical programs for the airline, spanning crew, cargo, engineering and enterprise platforms. Building on this strong legacy, this extended partnership marks a new chapter in collaboration, laying the foundation for a future-ready airline that will continue to set new benchmarks for the airline industry. With three decades of leadership in aviation, TCS partners with the world's leading airlines, offering consulting-led innovation,a cognitive-powered portfolio of business, and technology and engineerin...

The project, spearheaded by Greek non-profit child welfare organisation The Smile of the Child, will be co-created by children and young people to ensure their voices are heard. The ISPCC is honoured to announce its participation in a worldwide project designed to transform how we prevent and respond to online child sexual exploitation and abuse. Safe Online, a global fund dedicated to eradicating online child sexual exploitation and abuse, is funding the project called "Sandboxing and Standardising Child Online Redress". The COR Sandbox project will establish a first-of-its-kind mechanism to advance child online safety through collaboration across sectors, borders and generations. The project is led by The Smile of the Child, Greece's premier child welfare organisation and ISPCC is a partner alongside The Young and Resilient Research Centre at Western Sydney University, Child Helpline International and the Centre for Digital Policy at University College Dublin. Sandboxes bring together industry, regulators and customers in a safe space to test innovative products and services without incurring regulatory sanctions and they are mainly used in the finance sector to test new services. The EU is increasingly encouraging the use of sandboxes in the field of high technology and artificial intelligence. Through the participation of youth, platforms, regulators and online safety experts, this first regulatory sandbox for child digital wellbeing will provide for consistent, systemic care and redress for children from online harm, based on their rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Getting reporting and redress right means that we can keep track of harms and be able to identify systemic risk. Co-designing the reporting and redress process with young people as equitable participants can help us understand what they expect from the reporting process and what remedies are fair for them putting Article 12 of the UNCRC into action. The project also benefits from the guidance of renowned digital safety experts, including Project Lead and Scientific Coordinator Ioanna Noula, PhD, an international expert on tech policy and children's rights; pioneering online safety and youth rights advocate Anne Collier; youth rights and participation expert Amanda Third, PhD, of the Young and Resilient Research Centre; international innovation management consultant Nicky Hickman; IT innovation and startup founder Jez Goldstone; and leading child online wellbeing scholar Tijana Milosevic, PhD. ISPCC Head of Policy and Public Affairs Fiona Jennings said: "This project is a wonderful example of what we can achieve when we collaborate and listen to children and young people. Having robust online reporting mechanisms in place is a key policy objective for ISPCC and this project will go a long way towards making the online world safer for children and young people to participate in." Project lead Ioanna Noula said: "ISPCC's contribution to a project, which seeks to build coherence around the issue of online redress, will be a catalyst for real and substantial change in the area of online reporting. Helplines play a key role in flagging illegal and/or harmful content. As the experts in listening and responding to children, ISPCC can provide insight from an Irish context to help spearheading the implementation of the Digital Services Act and the wellbeing of children online." See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to ...

Alfa Laval announces a milestone in maritime decarbonization with an order for the world's first marine boiler system designed for the safe incineration of ammonia emissions. Confirmed for a fleet of four ammonia dual-fuel vessels, this innovation is part of a joint development project with industry frontrunners and is set for delivery in 2027-2028. World's first marine boiler system for ammonia waste incineration A first-of-its-kind innovation for ammonia-powered ships As the shipping industry transitions to alternative fuels, ammonia is emerging as a key zero-carbon fuel. However, its safe application onboard requires advanced technologies to manage its unique properties, including toxicity and the need for careful handling of purge gas and other waste gases. As a frontrunner in enabling ammonia as a marine fuel, Alfa Laval has achieved a significant milestone by securing an order to deliver the world's first marine boiler system designed to function as an Ammonia Release Mitigation System (ARMS) for the safe incineration of ammonia wastes. The system will be installed on four 45,000 cubic meter (cbm) multi-gas carriers for the global commodities company Trafigura and designed to transport LPG and ammonia. The advanced boiler system is part of a joint development project involving key industry players, including engine designer WinGD and shipyard HD Hyundai Mipo in South Korea for vessel construction. "Our efforts with alternative fuels demonstrate that Alfa Laval is not just adapting to the shift toward these fuels, but is actively shaping it through our technological expertise and vast experience in marine equipment," says Anders Lindmark, Business Unit President Heat & Gas Systems, Alfa Laval. "Following our successful innovations with fuels like LNG and methanol systems, we are proud to once again drive the industry with this pioneering boiler system for incineration of ammonia that combines environmental responsibility with operational efficiency and safety." "The landmark project brings together key industry players to advance ammonia as a viable marine fuel. Alfa Laval's innovative boiler technology, designed to operate as ARMS, tackles one of the critical technical hurdles impeding the wider adoption of ammonia, while prioritizing the safety of the environment and crew," said Andrea Olivi, Global Head of Shipping, Trafigura. "Trafigura is pleased to be working with companies like Alfa Laval that are developing solutions to decarbonize the maritime industry." A multi-purpose solution for ammonia-powered vessels Designed to go beyond conventional steam generation, the system will efficiently incinerate gaseous ammonia and ammonia-nitrogen mixtures produced by ammonia dual-fuel engines, fuel supply systems and other equipment onboard. This multi-functionality allows shipowners to reduce costs and save valuable space by minimizing the need for additional equipment while effectively managing waste and byproducts. "By extending the functionality of the boiler system to handle ammonia emissions, we are enabling shipowners to achieve substantial savings in both costs and space," says Stig Person, Head of R&D, Business Unit Heat & Gas Systems, Alfa Laval. "Our system eliminates the need for separate equipment to manage ammonia purge emissions, boil-off gas, and tank emptying operations, streamlining vessel design while enhancing safety." "The first commercial deployment of the ammonia-incinerating boiler system will serve as a model for future vessels, demonstrating that ammonia can be used safely while optimizing vessel design and operational efficiency. The space and weight savings achieved through this integrated approach provide tangible benefits for shipyards and ultimately for vessel operators," says Dong-jin Lee, Head of the Initial Design Division and the Detailed Design Division at HD Hyundai Mipo. Proven expertise in multi-fuel technology Alfa Laval has been at the forefront of developing solutions for alternativ...

Klearcom, a leading provider of global contact centre testing solutions, is expecting a 79% increase in revenue in 2025 as it continues to develop new partnerships and expand its product portfolio. The company is anticipating an exciting year ahead with it also predicting its global customer base to grow by 75% as a result of its extended market reach. This growth will be further bolstered by Klearcom's increased focus on AI-driven solutions such as large language models and conversational AI. As well as contributing to the business, this integration of emerging technologies will provide Klearcom's customers with improved service reliability, broader geographic coverage, and even faster response times. To further support multinational organisations, the Waterford-based company also plans to add 35 new carriers and expand more into Asia and Africa by the end of 2026. This extended international presence will enable Klearcom to serve a more diverse customer base, solidifying its position as a leading player within the telecommunications space and building on its previous success. The company has been on an upward trajectory over the last few years, having increased its carrier base from 80 to more than 340 since 2022. In addition, the Waterford-based company now operates in over 100 countries. Mark Rohan, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Klearcom, said: "It's been an exciting period of growth for Klearcom and we have no intention of stopping any time soon. As we embark on an ambitious strategy to further expand our operations and disrupt the market, our recent success is merely a sign of things to come. Underpinned by truly global contact centre testing solutions, we are delivering the fastest response and most-cost effective service for multinational companies across the globe. "This is driving further demand for our offering, which we are bolstering with more carriers and more services across more countries. In turn, we will deliver the best customer experience for our own customers and their customers - driving the business forward and strengthening our place in the elite bracket of customer service providers worldwide." See more stories here.

University of Oxford project selected for EIT Health's Deep Tech Venture Builder to tackle pain in children The University of Oxford's PINCH project joins EIT Health's Deep Tech Venture Builder programme to transform pain management in young children. EIT Health Ireland-UK, a Co-Location Centre of EIT Health, part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, today announced that the University of Oxford's PINCH project has been selected as one of 17 projects to join the Deep Tech Venture Builder (DTVB) programme. EIT Health is Europe's largest health innovation network, comprising over 100 member organisations across business, research, education, government, and healthcare delivery, working collaboratively to tackle Europe's greatest health challenges through innovation and technology. New tool to measure pain in infants Designed to help academic teams bring deep tech innovations to market, EIT Health's Deep Tech Venture Builder (DTVB) offers targeted support to overcome the biggest obstacles faced at this critical stage. Often referred to as the "Valley of Death," this phase is where many promising research ideas struggle to survive due to challenges like bureaucratic hurdles, lack of funding, and the difficult leap from lab-based research to real-world application. Graham Armitage, Managing Director, EIT Health Ireland-UK, said, "The PINCH project represents the kind of high-impact innovation we aim to support through EIT Health. By bridging the gap between academic research and real-world application, we are enabling ground-breaking technologies to reach the patients who need them most." The University of Oxford's PINCH project, led by Professor Rebeccah Slater, is addressing a long-standing gap in paediatric care by developing a clinical tool that interprets brain and heart signals to objectively measure pain in infants, going beyond the traditional reliance on facial expressions or crying, which can often result in under- or over-treatment. "It is a privilege to be supported by EIT Health's Deep Tech Venture Builder programme, and great to have the opportunity to accelerate development of our technology so it can be used to measure pain in young hospitalised children," said Prof Rebeccah Slater, Professor of Paediatric Neuroimaging, University of Oxford. Every day, countless children experience pain in hospital settings, yet many receive inadequate treatment due to the limitations of current assessment tools. PINCH, in collaboration with Ship2B Ventures, will now benefit from the tailored support of EIT Health's Deep Tech Venture Builder (DTVB) programme, gaining access to expert mentorship and leading innovation networks "This project unites three essential pillars to bring deep tech solutions to market: world-class science from Oxford, strategic venture building led by Ship2B Ventures through the Montana Children's Health initiative, and the robust ecosystem support of EIT Health. Together, we are shaping a transformative future for paediatric care," Pilar Puig Sàrries, Venture Partner, Montana Children's Health (Ship2B Ventures) The PINCH project is a part of EIT Health's broader mission to support deep tech ventures across Europe and help transform the future of healthcare. With over 2,998 start-ups supported to date and more than 140,000 citizens and patients directly impacted by its programmes in 2023, EIT Health continues to play a central role in Europe's health innovation landscape. Discover more about the Deep Tech Venture Builder and the selected projects here. ABOUT EIT HEALTH EIT Health is a network of best-in-class health innovators with approximately 120 partners and is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union. We collaborate across borders to deliver new solutions that can enable European citizens to live longer, healthier lives. As Europeans tackle the challenge of increasing chronic diseases and...

Spectrum.Life, a global leader in digital whole-of-health solutions, and the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC), announce their new strategic partnership, effective through the end of 2025. As part of this collaboration, Dr. Emelina Ellis has been appointed Chair of ISPCC's Clinical Advisory Board, bringing her extensive expertise to further the charity's mission of protecting and empowering children and young people. Through this partnership, Spectrum.Life will support the ISPCC with a range of fundraising events and volunteering efforts while also offering mental health support to the organisation's staff and volunteers when needed. In addition, Dr Ellis, who serves as Spectrum.Life's Chief Clinical Officer, will lead the Clinical Advisory Board in shaping and advancing ISPCC's clinical offerings, including the Childline listening service and the Childline Therapeutic Support Service (CTSS), ensuring they remain inclusive and responsive to the evolving needs of vulnerable children. These services provide confidential, accessible support to children and families, delivered through phone, online chat as well as in-person settings like homes, schools and community centres. Spectrum.Life founder and Executive Chairman Stuart McGoldrick emphasised the significance of this new charity partnership: "We have chosen ISPCC as our charity partner because of its unwavering dedication to protecting and empowering children - a cause that resonates deeply with our own vision to change and save as many lives as possible. Supporting young people's mental health and wellbeing is foundational to creating stronger, healthier communities, and that's why this partnership matters so much to us. I'm incredibly proud to also see Dr. Emelina Ellis take on this role, bringing her expertise and passion to an organisation I deeply admire. We are proud to support the ISPCC in their mission to protect childhood and to ensure that all children have the right to lead better, happier and safer lives." Commenting on the new charity partnership, John Church, ISPCC Chief Executive, said: " Being chosen by Spectrum.Life as their charity partner is a profound honour for everyone at ISPCC, especially given our perfectly aligned values and mutual commitment to enhancing children's lives. Our mission is straightforward yet vital: to protect and preserve childhood. We are also thrilled to have Dr. Ellis join our Board. Her passion for mental health and her dedication to ensuring everyone has access to the care they need, including children having access to the support they need, will be invaluable as we continue our work and continue to further strengthen the services we provide." Commenting on her appointment, Dr. Emelina Ellis, Chief Clinical Officer at Spectrum.Life, expressed her gratitude and enthusiasm for taking on this vital role: "I'm deeply honoured to be appointed as Chair of the Clinical Advisory Board at ISPCC, an organisation that is highly regarded for its dedication to protecting children and where ensuring their wellbeing is everyone's priority. As a mother, a healthcare professional, and a passionate advocate for mental health, I am thrilled to contribute to an organisation whose mission aligns so closely with our work at Spectrum.Life. Our mission is to save and change lives by investing in the health and wellbeing of people across their lifespan, including children and young people. I am committed to ensuring that every child and individual has access to the care and support they need to thrive." See more stories here.

Qualcom, a leading Irish provider of IT and cybersecurity services, has announced that it is enhancing its offering for customers with a new Microsoft Solutions Partner designation in Azure Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI). This certification recognises the company's expertise in cutting-edge data analytics and AI applications based on Azure technology, which help customers to better manage their data across multiple systems. With this new designation, Qualcom can leverage increased access to Microsoft resources and highly skilled technicians to continue strengthening its Azure service portfolio. Customers will benefit from an enriched range of Azure capabilities, including accelerated migration to the cloud, enhanced security, and greater flexibility. The achievement also acknowledges the team's commitment to continued technical training and development across the Microsoft Stack of software products and technologies. It reflects Qualcom's focus on leveraging AI to bring enhanced levels of automation to the business and enable increased efficiencies for customers. Demonstrating its dedication to strengthening its Microsoft Azure capabilities, Qualcom recently became one of the first Irish partners to achieve all three Microsoft designations across Azure Infrastructure and Modern Work SME and Enterprise. Ken Ryan, Managing Director, Qualcom, said: "This designation underscores our commitment to providing ultra-secure managed IT services to our customers, backed up by the broad skillsets and proactive support of our teams. It not only validates our deep technical expertise, but our ability to keep pace with industry demand. Our customers' needs are constantly evolving, and we work closely with them to ensure that we deliver products and services that enable them to remain competitive." David Kinsella, Technical Director at Qualcom, commented: "This recognition helps to solidify Qualcom's position as a leader in the market and further establishes our reputation as a trusted partner in the IT and cybersecurity industry. It demonstrates our dedication to providing top-tier solutions that leverage the power of Microsoft Azure to enhance our customers' data management and AI capabilities." See more stories here.

OxygenCare, a leading provider of life-saving medical equipment and solutions, is the preferred and only supplier of the Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer (TAT-5000S) to hospitals in the Republic of Ireland. Headquartered in the US, Exergen is an award-winning, industry-leading provider of non-invasive temperature measurement technologies for industrial and medical applications. OxygenCare, also an award-winning business, has been supporting the Irish healthcare market for more than 50 years and distributing Exergen products for close to a decade. The recent tender award will see OxygenCare offer Exergen's Temporal Artery Thermometer and integrate it into hospitals across Ireland, thus supporting its mission to enhance patient care with cutting-edge medical technology and superior service. This high-performance, non-invasive contact thermometer is designed for professional healthcare settings, providing quick and accurate measurements. As well as capturing the highest temperature in the temporal artery at a rapid rate of 1,000measurements per second, it can deliver readings in under three seconds. "Partnering with Exergen aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver high-quality medical technologies alongside exceptional service," said Maurice Moran, Managing Director of OxygenCare. "The Temporal Artery Thermometer is an essential tool in healthcare delivery, and we are proud to play a role in equipping hospitals with technology that enhances patient care and health outcomes." For healthcare teams, Exergen's Temporal Artery Thermometer allows healthcare professionals to gently swipe the thermometer across a patient's forehead, obtaining a highly precise reading without causing discomfort or requiring an invasive procedure. Seamlessly integrating with leading spot check patient monitors, this device also enhances workflow efficiency in fast-paced environments. It also enables healthcare providers to avoid the recurring cost of disposable probe covers due to its easy-to-clean construction. Furthermore, the Temporal Artery Thermometer is IP22 certified which reduces the risk of damage from everyday handling, minimises maintenance costs, and extends the equipment's lifespan. "Our partnership with OxygenCare exemplifies the synergy between innovative medical products and outstanding service. Together, we are bringing the TAT-5000S to hospitals across Ireland and setting a new standard for patient care," said Dr. Francesco Pompei, founder and CEO of Exergen Corporation. "With the TAT-5000S, healthcare teams can make faster, more informed clinical decisions, ultimately improving health outcomes." See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Galvia AI, a leading international artificial intelligence company, has announced its UK expansion with a new Manchester office and plans for job creation in the region. Headquartered in Galway, Ireland, Galvia will base its UK operations at the Turing Innovation Catalyst (TIC), within Sister - Manchester's £1.7bn science and technology innovation district. Galvia unifies business data and turns it into connected intelligence that predicts, prompts, and drives smarter decisions in real time. The Manchester investment is set to create double-digit job growth and reinforce the city's position as a growing hub for AI and digital innovation. Galvia's clients range from SMEs in retail, hospitality, and manufacturing to global organisations such as Atos, Nestlé, NTT Data Business Solutions, and several top-ranking universities. At a high-profile launch event held on 3rd June 2025 at TIC, Galvia unveiled plans to empower SMEs across Greater Manchester and the North West to harness the power of AI. The event gathered business leaders, policymakers, and AI innovators, highlighting the strategic importance of Galvia's UK expansion. Commenting on Galvia's UK launch at the Turing Innovation Catalyst, Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: "Manchester has always been a place where ideas thrive and businesses scale with purpose. We're excited to welcome Galvia to Manchester and support the launch of their accelerator programme - a real opportunity for local SMEs to engage with the potential of AI in a practical, meaningful way. By removing barriers to AI adoption, initiatives like this can help unlock the region's entrepreneurial potential and ensure innovation is accessible to all." John Clancy, CEO and Founder of Galvia AI, said: "We're excited to establish roots in Manchester - a city with a dynamic tech ecosystem and a clear vision for innovation. Our goal is to empower SMEs by removing barriers to AI adoption and providing practical, scalable solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing systems." SMEs often struggle to make use of their data due to siloed systems and limited resources. Galvia addresses this gap with trusted technology that has been developed for both enterprises and SMEs since its founding in 2017. It brings together data from across an organisation, unlocking new insights, driving improvement and enhancing profitability. At the heart of Galvia's Manchester strategy is the Galvia AI Adoption Accelerator, a 5-week programme launching in September in partnership with TIC and law firm Addleshaw Goddard. It's designed to give SME leaders a clear understanding of what to do with their data and a strategic plan of how to integrate AI into their business. The Accelerator is central to Galvia's mission to make AI work for all - providing SMEs with a fast, practical route to leveraging their data and driving growth through innovation. Galvia also intends to partner with SME technology providers in sectors such as retail and hospitality to apply the benefits of AI to their platforms. "AI isn't just for big-budget tech businesses. It can and should make a real, tangible difference for SMEs, which are the core of the economy," added John Clancy. "Together with our partners, we're very proud to bring our accelerator programme to Manchester. It's already proven highly successful in Ireland, equipping participants with the knowledge and tools to stay ahead of industry changes and maintain a competitive edge. "We bring seven years of real-world experience in AI - and in AI years, that's a lifetime. We've worked with organisations and data sets of all sizes to make AI deliver real strategic value." Joe Manning, Managing Director at MIDAS, Manchester's Inward Investment Agency said: "Ireland is one of Greater Manchester's most important markets, with a whole host of Irish companies choosing to expand here. "We're very pleased to welcome Galvia, with their decision to set up a UK base in our city-region re...

Electric Ireland, Ireland's leading energy supplier and member of the AdNetZero Ireland community, has delivered a global first with its latest Smart Meter campaign. This is the first time a digital campaign has optimised the ad delivery and ad selection process to reduce carbon emissions, resulting in a 67% reduction in carbon emissions1 and a 31% increase in click-through rate (CTR). The digital campaign was delivered through a partnership between Electric Ireland, dentsu Ireland, Greenbids, the AI-powered media optimisation solutions, and SeenThis, the adaptive streaming technology agency, and was run via Google'sDisplay & Video 360 in late 2024. The campaign promoted Electric Ireland's Smart Meter plans through digital display advertising, highlighting the benefits of switching to these plans; a more sustainable campaign for a more sustainable energy plan. At the centre of this partnership is Electric Ireland's commitment to sustainability, driven by the goal to empower, enable and support customers and communities to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040. Electric Ireland took a deliberate step to align its advertising practices with its sustainability objectives - not just through the net-zero products and solutions it provides, but in how it communicates and connects with customers. With data transfer expected to grow annually due to digital advertising, Electric Ireland recognise the growing need to address media emissions in digital advertising. Electric Ireland looked beyond the traditional carbon calculators with this campaign, using the latest technology available to reduce carbon emissions, while maintaining strong performance outcomes. "Electric Ireland's mission is to lead Ireland towards a net-zero electric future, and that commitment extends to every aspect of our business, including our advertising," said Lisa Browne, Head of Marketing & Customer Insights at Electric Ireland. "As a member of the AdNetZero Ireland community, we are committed to reducing the carbon footprint of our advertising. This partnership with dentsu Ireland, SeenThis, and Greenbids is an exciting step forward, innovating how we deliver smart supports to our valued customers encouraging them to embrace more sustainable solutions." This industry first was achieved through a combination of: SeenThis's Adaptive Streaming Technology: This technology optimises ad delivery by streaming the ad rather than the traditional download method associated with display media. SeenThis also optimised the creatives to ensure they were high quality and would load quickly, reducing the ad file size while maintaining high specifications. Greenbids' AI-Driven Bidding Process: Greenbids' AI identifies the most sustainable ad delivery paths by considering factors such as location, device type, and network coverage of consumers in the vicinity. For example, the AI prioritises delivering ads to users connected to Wi-Fi over those using cellular data, minimising energy consumption. "At dentsu Ireland, we're committed to pioneering sustainable advertising solutions that deliver exceptional results for our clients." said David O'Riordan, Chief Performance Officer at Dentsu Ireland. "We went into this project with a very bold target of a 50% carbon reduction," said Guillaume Grimbert, CEO & Co-Founder at Greenbids. "An emissions cut of this scale had never been achieved in such a short time on a display campaign before, so we were aiming for the sky with this benchmark. Not only did we hit our target, but we also rocketed past it, demonstrating the ability of AI to solve problems that not long ago would have seemed impossible." "This collaboration proves that sustainability and performance can go hand in hand," said Hannah O'Neil, EMEA VP of Sales at SeenThis. "By combining Greenbids' AI-powered optimisation with our adaptive streaming technology, we've not only reduced carbon emissions but also delivered a faster, more engaging ad experience. These results set...

A new in-person location to purchase the Kilkenny Gift Card has launched to enhance the convenience and accessibility of the initiative. St. Canice's Credit Union High Street is the first in-person location to purchase the Kilkenny Gift Card. The card was introduced in November 2025 by Kilkenny Chamber and Kilkenny County Council in an upgrade to the previous paper vouchers. Over €160,000 of the new Kilkenny Gift Cards have been sold since November, with the cards popular with organisations as employee rewards and for consumers as gifts. Molly Drennan, Head of Operations at St. Canice's Credit Union, said: "St. Canice's Credit Union is about community and has been a partner of the Chamber for many years. We previously sold the Kilkenny Gift Vouchers, so it's great for us to now sell the new high-tech Kilkenny Gift Card, as a way to give back to our local businesses. "It's really easy for people to buy the Kilkenny Gift Card from us by going up to the counter in our High Street branch and letting us know how much they want loaded onto the card. It takes minutes and is especially handy for people that want to support local and want the convenience of a card that's in their hand straight away. We have the end of the school year coming up so it'll be ideal for people buying gifts for teachers, Christmas, birthdays and many other occasions. "We've also got 'Load This Card' envelopes that contain the Gift Card that people can pick up and load with value themselves online at a later date, it's all about making supporting our community easy. As the Kilkenny Gift Card is accepted by so many good, quality businesses, it's a gift that anyone would be happy to receive. We look forward to welcoming people into the Credit Union in High St. to buy their Kilkenny Gift Card." John Hurley, chief executive at Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce, said: "Our objective is to make the Kilkenny Gift Card accessible and convenient to buy for a wide range of audiences. The digital version of the card can be purchased online and sent to the recipient in moments, and the launch of the new sales point at St. Canice's Credit Union High Street is important because it allows the physical version of the card to be purchased and given to the recipient in moments too. We look forward to continuing to work alongside St. Canice's Credit Union as we continue to build the Kilkenny Gift Card." Kilkenny County Council's Local Enterprise Office is backing the Kilkenny Gift Card as part of its #ShopKilkenny campaign for 2024. Aileen McGrath, Head of Enterprise, Kilkenny Local Enterprise Office said: "The Kilkenny Gift Card is going from strength to strength with over 120 businesses now accepting the card, across a wide range of sectors. Every Kilkenny Gift Card purchased is an investment in our city that will continue to circulate, powering our economy." The Kilkenny Gift Card is part of the multi award winning Town & City Gift Card concept active across Ireland. Colin Munro, CEO of Miconex, said: "It's fantastic to see the success of the Kilkenny Gift Card so far with over €160,000 in sales, over 120 businesses accepting the card, and the launch of the new sales point at St. Canice's Credit Union High Street. From our programs across Ireland, we know how vital a sales point is for locals and visitors who are keen to shop local and support the community." The Kilkenny Gift Card is available to buy for consumers and organisations. See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now ...

Independent premium snack brand "Awfully Posh" has re-launched its peanut range in a 100% recyclable wrapper made from paper, replacing conventional nut packaging which is made from hard to recycle polypropylene. The relaunched Awfully Posh peanuts will be available to the UK pub and bar market, with an initial launch planned in partnership with RedCat Hospitality - the operator behind the award-winning Coaching Inn Group and RedCat Independent Pubs. The newly packaged premium peanut snacks will roll out across all 95 of the group's historic and characterful pubs and coaching inns from May 2025. Peanuts to have a 100% recyclable paper wrapper Developed by sustainable paper packaging manufacturer, EvoPak, the new paper wrapper (known as MRCM) uses the same award-winning environmentally friendly technology as the world's first fully recyclable crisp packet1. The packaging incorporates a layer of Hydropol which makes unrecyclable packaging fully recyclable because it is dissolvable and biodegradable. Its marine-safe, non-toxic polymer technology developed by Aquapak, which specialises in developing high performance, environmentally safe materials to reduce plastic pollution and improve recycling, breaks down harmlessly in all existing recycling streams. If it does escape into the environment, it biodegrades completely, leaving nothing behind such as harmful microplastics. A planet-friendly alternative to conventional snack packaging The new paper wrapper provides a functional and planet-friendly alternative to current snack and confectionery packaging which, over the past 30 years, has become complex with the development of lightweight multi-layer structures. This has driven efficiency and shelf life, but the complexity makes them impossible to deal with at end of life. This is compounded by consumer consumption, which is often on the move, making littering a bigger problem than other formats. The other factor is that small units using a complex combination of materials makes recycling and recovery options currently limited, resulting in landfill with no circularity option. Currently, it is only possible to recycle conventional snack wrappers by returning them to store, which isn't convenient for consumers and in many cases, where recycling processes aren't carefully controlled, the wrapper still ends up in landfill or incinerated. This also presents significant challenges for large-scale hospitality operations who are seeking to increase the amount of waste packaging that goes into recycling streams. OPRL certified as recyclable The wrappers have been certified as recyclable in standard paper recycling mills by OPRL, the only evidence-based on pack recycling labelling scheme. This means they feature the green recycle logo and can be disposed of in consumer kerbside collections along with other paper material, unlike other nut snack packets. Premium product protection HydropolTM gives the paper a functional performance and also provides a high oxygen (OTR) barrier, enabling brands to switch to paper packaging. To meet high moisture barriers needed to keep the nuts fresh in transit and on the shelf, HydropolTM is used in combination with Nissha metallised paper in order to give the moisture barrier required for this application. Tom Lock, Founder of Awfully Posh, commented: "It is fantastic to have an environmentally responsible packaging solution that protects the planet and our premium nuts. This paper innovation has the potential to transform snack packaging as we know it and we are proud to be one of the pioneering users of the new technology." Mark Lapping, Chief Executive Officer, Aquapak, said: "We have collaborated closely with Evopak in the development of this innovative new paper which can provide protection for the most challenging snacks - crisps and nuts - when it comes to keeping them fresh and in top condition. Aquapak's Hydropol technology combines the functionality of conventional plastics without the environme...

Ireland and Northern Ireland's cybersecurity sectors are set to deepen collaboration and unlock new opportunities as Cyber Ireland and NI Cyber today announced a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at their event "All Island Cybersecurity Sector Opportunity" in the City North Hotel, County Meath. The MoU outlines key shared goals to align with both clusters' strategic priorities, including enhancing cross-border connections, supporting industry-academic R&D collaboration, and raising the international profile of the all-island sector. The announcement coincides with the launch of a comprehensive report commissioned by Cyber Ireland and NI Cyber, with support from InterTradeIreland's Synergy Programme. Produced by Perspective Economics, the report provides the first in-depth mapping of the all-island cybersecurity ecosystem. Key findings from the report reveal that the all-island cybersecurity sector is among the largest in Western Europe, comprising 632 firms and employing 10,600 professionals, with the sector generating an estimated €3.2 (£2.9 bn) billion and contributing €1.5 (£1.3 bn) billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) in the most recent financial year. Irish firms alone have seen revenue growth of 13.4% annually over the past two years, signifying steady growth for the cybersecurity sector. The study also highlights that the all-island cybersecurity sector benefits greatly from the presence of multinational companies, as well as indigenous enterprises, with 41% of firms headquartered in Ireland and 7% in Northern Ireland. However, barriers remain for the industry with policy gaps, procurement challenges and security clearance issues hindering cross-border collaboration. Speaking at the event, Eoin Byrne, Cluster Manager at Cyber Ireland, stated: "Cybersecurity is not just a technological issue, it's a strategic economic opportunity. This report demonstrates the strength of the all-island cybersecurity sector and the huge potential to improve our cyber resilience and drive economic growth by working together. The signing of the MoU between Cyber Ireland and NI Cyber is a major step forward in that journey." Joanne English, Cluster Manager at NI Cyber, added: "The cybersecurity threats we face don't stop at borders. Through enhanced collaboration, we can boost innovation and better support our companies and communities. This report and its findings highlight the opportunity for our respective clusters. The MoU paves the way for joint action and shared success. 42 cybersecurity companies already have active offices in both NI and Ireland, which shows a clear appetite for cross-border collaboration, and we must now work to realise the opportunities of a more integrated all-island cybersecurity market." Alison Currie, Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at InterTradeIreland, commented: "Cybersecurity is now a critical and vital consideration for all businesses. This report, funded by our Synergy programme, will benefit all businesses across the island of Ireland as they strive to collectively improve their cybersecurity preparedness, support their digitalisation processes and reduce their risk of cyber-attacks. InterTradeIreland is committed to supporting the cybersecurity sector as it continues to collaborate, innovate and overcome obstacles to further accelerate growth potential." To learn more about the partnership and the all-island cybersecurity sector, visit cyberireland.ie or nicyber.tech. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie...

Saving money on fuel has come out on top in new research looking at the benefits of driving an electric vehicle in Ireland. The survey, which also found a large majority would recommend an EV to others, was carried out by ePower and the Irish Electric Vehicle Association. When respondents were asked about the benefits of driving an EV: 72% of respondents pointed to the savings on fuel costs 61% highlighted reducing emissions and being better for the environment 45% mentioned being able to charge their vehicle at home 37% said they liked having a quieter vehicle 93% would 'definitely' or 'probably' recommend an EV to other people. The survey also asked motorists about the challenges facing them as EV users in Ireland. The results showed: More than half (58%) see the availability of public charging as the biggest challenge 30% of people said price is the biggest challenge of owning an EV 11% cited range concerns as their biggest challenge of owning an EV Among those who had problems with public charging, 40% of respondents said availability is their main problem 23% said issues operating the units are their biggest concern with public charging CEO of ePower John O'Keeffe says the results tally with what he's hearing on the ground: "It's very interesting to see over seven in ten people identify savings on fuel costs as the biggest benefit of EV driving. Set against the rising costs of fossil fuels and the surge in EV purchases so far in 2025, it's clear that people in Ireland are increasingly ready to make the switch away from internal combustion engines, and we're excited about what the future of driving here will hold. "We understand the concerns around public charging, and we're proud to work with ZEVI, which is dedicated to helping people in Ireland make the switch to electric vehicles. We've also made great strides in partnerships with local authorities, shopping centre operators and leisure facilities like racecourses and hotels to help increase the rollout of chargers. The availability of public charging facilities is key to a wider adoption of EV driving, and we're looking forward to playing our part in improving the service in the coming years". More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Research Ireland, Ireland's competitive research and innovation agency, and Gas Networks Ireland, operator of the national gas network, have today formally launched a new €2.7 million research and innovation challenge to drive pioneering, STEM-led solutions that will support Ireland's transition to a low-carbon energy future. The 'Research Ireland - Gas Networks Ireland Innovation Challenge' invites multidisciplinary research teams to develop breakthrough technologies in renewable gas, energy system integration and artificial intelligence. The challenge fund will support transformative innovations with the potential to decarbonise the national gas network and contribute to climate action targets. This joint initiative, co-funded by Research Ireland and by Gas Networks Ireland through its Gas Innovation Fund, is a phased funding programme. Successful teams from eligible research bodies in Ireland will be awarded up to €200,000 and will work through a series of phases to develop their idea. An overall prize award of €1 million will be available to the team that demonstrates the highest potential for transformative impact. The prize will enable the winning team to generate high-impact research and accelerate the development of sustainable energy technologies. The structure of the Programme is based on the Research Ireland Future Innovator Prize Sustainable Development Goals Challenge Programme, and will comprise three phases: Concept (six months' duration, with successful teams securing up to €50,000) Seed (12 months' duration, with teams securing up to €150,000), and: Prize (up to 24 months, with teams completing for an overall prize of €1 million). Welcoming the announcement, Interim CEO at Research Ireland, Celine Fitzgerald, commented: "We are delighted to be forging a partnership with Gas Networks Ireland on matters of such importance to our country and, indeed, our planet. Both agencies recognise the importance of decarbonisation of Ireland's gas network. The Research Ireland - Gas Networks Ireland Innovation Challenge 2025 will support research projects that have potential to generate STEM-based solutions for utilisation by the renewable gas industry, giving rise to national impact in the journey to achieve carbon neutrality. "We look forward to working in partnership with Gas Networks Ireland, and to seeing the outcomes stemming from our co-funded investment in Ireland's brightest research talent." Commenting on the collaboration agreement, Chief Operations Officer at Gas Networks Ireland, Bobby Gleeson, stated: "This landmark collaboration aligns with Ireland's national climate ambitions and our strategy to transition to a net zero gas network by 2045". "The Innovation Challenge is a powerful example of how targeted research can support national priorities - from climate action to economic development and will help enable the best minds in Irish research to develop practical, scalable solutions for integrating renewable gases and intelligent technologies into our energy infrastructure. This is a significant investment in the future of Ireland's energy system - and in the talent that will help shape it." The Research Ireland - Gas Networks Ireland Innovation Challenge has two overarching challenge themes to guide the collaborative engagement and research activity under this programme call, namely: 1. The Energy System Integration Challenge: This seeks to support the development of solutions to accelerate the optimisation and integration of the energy system in Ireland's transition to a low-carbon economy. There are two broad themes under this Challenge: (a) the integration of renewable gases at a local and regional level; and (b) the development of Artificial Intelligence-based solutions for intelligent gas network performance diagnostics. 2. The Biomethane and Biohydrogen Challenge will seek to support the development of solutions which improve the efficiency, efficacy and commercial viability of (1) biomethane and (2...

From flying toilet paper experiments to identifying ancient fossils, there is a whole lot of wild and wacky scientific fun headed to Fitzgerald Park this weekend. The Cork City park is transforming once again into Ireland's largest pop-up science lab as the Cork Carnival of Science returns from June 7th - 8th. With explosive experiments, roaming performers, live shows and hands-on discovery zones, this FREE family fun weekend invites visitors to explore, discover, investigate, and experiment with the science behind the world around us. Whether you're a curious kid, an intrigued adult, or just someone who appreciates a great day out, there's something for you to discover! In fact, here are ten fascinating scientific theories and concepts you can explore at this year's festival: 1. Air Pressure Can Make Things Fly (Even Toilet Roll) At The Air Force Show, a high-energy demonstration from Simply Science, you'll see the principles of flight brought to life using high-speed fans, air cannons and an unlikely co-star: flying toilet paper. This dynamic show explores how unseen forces like lift and drag keep things airborne, from planes to paper. 2. Storms Are Made of Science In Storm Chaser, RTÉ's Mark the Science Guy recreates extreme weather phenomena indoors with a series of electrifying experiments. Expect sparks to fly as he explores the science behind lightning, thunder, and static electricity, revealing what really happens when the atmosphere turns wild. 3. Physics Is Behind Every Great Goal If you've ever wondered what connects a footballer's balance to Newton's Laws, Science of Sport has the answer. Using agility drills, balance boards and crowd participation, Science Made Simple shows how physics, biomechanics and reaction time all play a part in performance on the pitch. 4. Fossils Tell Stories (and You Might Be Holding One) At The Fossil Roadshow by Irish Fossil Heritage, young explorers can bring in their own rocks to be identified, learning whether they're holding a lump of limestone or a 300-million-year-old fern fossil. It's a chance to uncover Ireland's prehistoric past through real-life geology and palaeontology. 5. Plants Are Tiny Chemists In Bubbling Botanicals by Science 2 Life, budding scientists can experiment with colourful potions and fizzy reactions to discover how plants use chemistry to grow, adapt and even defend themselves. Expect bubbling beakers, vibrant colours and a few surprises in the tent on the Main Green. 6. Bubbles Reveal Invisible Forces It might look like a pretty bit of magic, but the giant bubbles floating around Fitzgerald Park are actually lessons in surface tension and air pressure. Watch as science performers use soapy spheres to demonstrate the physics of liquids in action. It's mesmerising and surprisingly educational! 7. Everything is under pressure Have you got what it takes to lie on a bed of 3000+ nails and discover the mind-blowing science of pressure and force? Join the team from Explorium- Ireland's National Sport and Science Centre to find out! 8. Optical Illusions Are Just Brainy Physics The Circus Science Show blends sleight-of-hand, circus skills and scientific explanation to explore how the brain interprets light, sound, and motion. You'll laugh, gasp, and probably be tricked - all while learning how our senses can fool us. 9. Plants React to the World Around Them Plant 'behaviour' might sound odd, but it's a growing field in biology. At various science stands, you'll discover how plants move, respond to light, and even 'communicate' using chemical signals. It's a leafy lesson in environmental adaptation and survival and one that makes perfect sense in the lush green setting of Fitzgerald Park! 10. Robots Can Dance (and You Can Build One) In the innovation and discovery zones, you'll find robotic kits, coding challenges and interactive exhibits that prove STEM is so exciting. Try your hand at simple programming or meet a robot that follows your commands - and maybe even ...

Interesting news coming out of China's Ant International, a global digital payments and fin tech provider. They have launched a new AI play with Alipay+ GenAI Cockpit. This will be an AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) platform. The strategy is to support fintech companies and nudge super apps to build AI driven financial services with the goal of better security, flexibility and seamless experiences. Making AI work for finance remains the key goal for fin tech companies. Alipay+ GenAI Cockpit is a platform to help entrepreneurs create effective AI-native financial services. These tools will combine automated workflows and task orchestration with a dynamic enterprise context. Key tasks include payment orchestration, customer onboarding, compliance checks, fraud detection, dispute resolution, and evaluation and performance optimisation. New AI Platform for Fintechs launched by Ant International Three-pronged AI strategy focuses on AI security, Vertical Fintech Expertise, and Full-stack AI platform support First fintech clients begin official integration in June 2025 in Southeast Asia and South Asia "The future of finance will be shaped by agentic AI that not only carry out tasks autonomously in real automated workflows and sophisticated financial business and compliance context with reliability, but also interact, evolve and learn rapidly in orchestration with ever-growing precision," said Jiangming Yang, Chief Innovation Officer of Ant International. Alipay+ GenAI Cockpit has been honed on Ant International's four key business units: wallet gateway service (Alipay+), merchant payment service (Antom), cross-border business account service (WorldFirst), and embedded finance service (global treasury management, digital lending and credit tech solutions). Upon successful completion of trial runs, the first external clients in Southeast Asia and South Asia will start officially deploying the Cockpit in June 2025. Three-Pronged AI Strategy: Security, Vertical Fintech Expertise, and Platform-level Support for Agentic FinAI Combining a fintech-specific toolbox and dynamic industry knowledge base alongside business-ready AI innovations, the Cockpit embodies three key directions of Ant International's AI strategy. Security Shield for Trusted AI AI scamming threats using deepfake and other technologies have been growing over 10 folds by the year, with grave implications especially in the financial sector. Statistics show 22% of businesses have encountered AI-generated payment fraud. Ant International invests heavily in AI security solutions to combat external AI scamming attacks and eliminate internal model security risks such as model hallucination or bias. Its AI SHIELD framework manages risks across system architecture designing, data processing, model training, and inferencing. It offers real-time dynamic risk assessment, including detecting adversarial prompts and sensitive data leakage through over 100 recognition models and 600,000 risk lexicons. Today, fraud loss rate in Ant International's merchant payment service is 5% of industry average. Deep Vertical Financial Expertise Alipay+ GenAI Cockpit leverages over 20 leading LLMs, including Ant International's own Falcon Time-Series Transformer FX Model. However, it has focused on integrating fintech knowledge bases, such as bank transfer rules and dispute resolution policies, to help businesses build specialized fintech agents. The Cockpit toolbox supports retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), post-training, evaluation, and benchmarking, taking the combination of general-purpose datasets with industry-specific benchmarks developed from Ant International's financial expertise to help improve model precision. Built on the Cockpit, Antom Copilot is the world's first AI agent designed to help merchants boost conversion by streamlining the process of payment method integration, recommending optimal payment channels, and resolving common tasks like code correction and the auto-completion of merc...

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has unveiled the independent European governance structure for the AWS European Sovereign Cloud, the creation of a dedicated Security Operations Center, and the establishment of a new parent company that will be led by European Union (EU) citizens and bound by local legal requirements. Kathrin Renz, who currently serves as vice president of AWS Industries, will serve as the company's first managing director. The AWS European Sovereign Cloud will be the only fully-featured, independently operated sovereign cloud, backed by strong technical controls, sovereign assurances, and legal protections. Customers and partners using the AWS European Sovereign Cloud will benefit from the full power of AWS including the same service portfolio, security, availability, performance, familiar architecture, APIs, and innovations such as the AWS Nitro System. Launching by the end of 2025, the AWS European Sovereign Cloud will combine operational autonomy with expansive AWS services to meet the stringent sovereignty needs of European governments and enterprises. European-based control, governance, and operations AWS will establish a new European organisation and operating model for the AWS European Sovereign Cloud, with a new parent company and three subsidiaries incorporated in Germany. The management team leading this new parent company will include the managing director and a government security and privacy official, who will all be EU citizens residing in the EU. AWS will establish an independent advisory board for the AWS European Sovereign Cloud, legally obligated to act in the best interest of the AWS European Sovereign Cloud. Reinforcing the sovereign control of the AWS European Sovereign Cloud, the advisory board will consist of four members, all EU citizens residing in the EU, including at least one independent board member who is not affiliated with Amazon. The advisory board will act as a source of expertise and provide accountability for AWS European Sovereign Cloud operations, including strong security and access controls and the ability to operate independently in the event of disruption. Building on deep experience running AWS services for the most sensitive workloads around the world, the AWS European Sovereign Cloud is designed with the unmatched operational resilience our customers expect from AWS. The design of the AWS European Sovereign Cloud enables it to continue operations indefinitely, even in the event of a connectivity interruption between the AWS European Sovereign Cloud and the rest of the world. European customers and governments benefit from the resilient AWS architecture that features multiple Availability Zones with independent power, networking, facilities, and security capabilities that make these critical operations possible. To support continuity even under extreme circumstances, authorized AWS employees of the AWS European Sovereign Cloud, who are EU residents, will have independent access to a replica of the source code needed to maintain the AWS European Sovereign Cloud services. Experienced European leadership Kathrin Renz, the first managing director of the AWS European Sovereign Cloud, is a German national who brings deep global and European expertise to the position with more than two decades of experience in the global technology sector, including key roles in European technology and large enterprises. Based in Germany and acting as the most senior leader of the AWS European Sovereign Cloud, Renz will be legally bound to act in the best interest of the AWS European Sovereign Cloud and will be responsible for overseeing decisions related to corporate governance, compliance, and security, while ensuring the AWS European Sovereign Cloud complies with all applicable laws and regulations in Germany and the EU. "We're taking a unique approach with AWS European Sovereign Cloud. Customers tell us they don't want to choose between feature-limited solutions or the full power of AWS, s...

Park Place Technologies, a global leader in data centre and networking optimisation, has partnered with Softcat, a leading UK technology solutions provider, to provide access to its internal training portal, Uptime Academy. The initiative aims to enhance Softcat's support services team's knowledge and capabilities, ultimately leading to improve service delivery for customers. Park Place collaborates with thousands of partners across the globe and selected Softcat for this pilot program to demonstrate its commitment to partner enablement, and to Softcat's people. The primary purpose of making Uptime Academy available to Softcat was to educate, upskill and provide sales enablement to the support services team at Softcat, focusing on key areas such as Third-Party Maintenance (TPM), Infrastructure Managed Services, and Entuity Software. Uptime Academy is Park Place's internal Learning Management System, ensuring consistent messaging about Park Place's offerings, culture, and compliance across the entire organisation. The training content contains material created in-house by Park Place subject matter experts, as well as a variety of content from third-party specialty providers. Uptime Academy also allows tracking of learners' progress through courses, curricula, and certifications. Ian Anderson, Senior Director, Partner Sales in EMEA, said, "Our internal Uptime Academy training portal offers hundreds of courses, ranging from IT basics to deep-dives into specific Park Place services. Sharing that knowledge base with a partner empowers and hopefully motivates its people to develop their talents, contribute to their personal growth, and fuel the success of Softcat and Park Place." Softcat was eager to leverage Uptime Academy as it recognised the platform as a tool that could help to upskill its support service teams, who in turn could immerse themselves in Park Place messaging and go-to-market methodology. This elevates Softcat as a channel partner selling our services into literally being an extension of the Park Place Technologies team out in the field. Kevin Rickard, Sr. Team Leader for Support Service Sales at Softcat, said, "Having access to the Park Place Uptime Academy has significantly empowered our specialists in several ways. It has enhanced our expertise, increased confidence when talking around managed services, and given us a competitive advantage. It has given us a detailed insight into how Park Place works and how their services, management, and fulfilment of contracts flow." The initial Softcat trial saw participation from two dozen individuals, who praised the engaging delivery style and practical knowledge gained from the courses. The format of Uptime Academy was called out for particular praise, with participants enjoying the digestible, bite-sized courses. Several shared their training certificates online. Park Place's Anderson added, "Following this successful trial, we are looking to expand access across other teams at Softcat and also look to roll similar initiatives to other partners globally. This initiative demonstrates Park Place Technologies' pioneering approach to partner enablement. We are committed to transparency and empowering our partners with the knowledge they need to ultimately be more successful in selling more to customers - meaning everyone wins." See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitt...

DP Energy has partnered with ESB to develop Lyra Wind Farm in Co. Mayo, a renewable energy project with the potential to generate up to 100MW of clean power. Located approximately 7km southeast of Westport, 2.2km southeast of Aghagower Village and 9.5km west of Ballintubber Village, the proposed area of development is situated in the townlands of Cordarragh South, Corveagh Upper and Teevinish West. The majority of the proposed turbine area is located at an elevation of between 100m and 200m above sea level and will generate enough energy to power up to 70,914 homes on an annual basis. The design of the proposed project is at an early stage and is following an iterative approach that will be guided by any potential environmental impacts, as advised by third-party technical experts. The wind farm, once operational, will only occupy a small portion of the overall site area - approximately 4% - allowing many of the existing land uses, such as farming and biodiversity management, to continue alongside the project. DP Energy has collaborated with ESB previously to develop Cappawhite Wind Farm, a 51MW onshore wind project in Co. Tipperary, located at the southernmost extent of the mountain range known as Hollyford Hills. DP Energy also previously sold its operating and pipeline projects to ESB in 2008. Simon De Pietro, Director and CEO at DP Energy Group, says: "We are delighted to be working alongside ESB to develop Lyra Wind Farm. This project has the potential to deliver substantial benefits to the local community while fostering local employment and enterprise. Having previously achieved excellent results working with ESB, we look forward to building on this strong partnership and using it as a foundation for future projects across Ireland and the UK." Jim Dollard, Executive Director, Generation and Trading at ESB, says: "At ESB, we are progressing a pipeline of projects and acquisitions, including initiatives with our trusted partners, to deliver our Net Zero by 2040 strategy. Building on our previous successes, we are delighted to partner once again with DP Energy on the proposed Lyra wind farm in Co Mayo. By leveraging our shared values and combined expertise, we believe the Lyra project will deliver significant benefits for the community, the environment and Ireland's net-zero energy commitments. We look forward to working with all stakeholders to ensure the project is a success." Visit the Lyra Wind Farm website for more information on the project.

Opportunities presented by digitalisation and AI go beyond traditional generational shifts; they will require fundamental change in the mindsets of business leaders Shannon Chamber CEO Helen Downes was quick to engage with Skillnet Ireland's new chief executive, Mark Jordan, following his appointment in March 2025, by inviting him to address a luncheon to mark the tenth anniversary of Shannon Chamber Skillnet. The event, which took place in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Limerick last week, attracted a guest list which included Chamber member companies, representatives from Skillnet Ireland, Skillnet Business Networks in the Mid-West region, the tertiary education sector and private training providers. Skillnet Ireland is recognised internationally as a best practice model for workforce development, supporting the competitiveness, productivity, and innovation of Irish businesses. Under the leadership of newly appointed chief executive Mark Jordan, the organisation remains committed to building on its excellent track record of the past 26 years. Since its inception in 1999, Skillnet Ireland, via its 70 Business Networks, which includes Shannon Chamber Skillnet, has continually evolved. This evolution is reflected in the expanding profile of the businesses it supports, the deepening and diversification of its engagement strategies, and the ongoing development of innovative support schemes tailored to the needs of industry. "Our success depends on aligning Skillnet Ireland's work with national strategies, including the National Digital and the National AI Strategies," said Mark Jordan. "To remain relevant, we need to anticipate change and have meaningful conversations with companies to bridge the gap in skills development. This is particularly important as 59% of SMEs and MNCs expect their core skills to undergo a major shift in the next two to three years, and that, by 2027, 50% of today's skills will be obsolete," he added. Focusing on future skill requirements, Mr. Jordan stated: "Digitalisation will play a critical role in helping companies become more resilient nationally and internationally. Technologies such as machine learning and AI will be central in the transformational journey of companies in many sectors, as will sustainable business practices, which have become an integral part of Ireland's enterprise sector". Highlighting regional achievements, he noted: "In the past year alone, 3,000 businesses in counties Clare, Limerick and Tipperary, upskilled 7,000 people through Skillnet Ireland programmes. That level of engagement is impressive, and it's only set to grow." Mr Jordan was joined on the podium by representatives from Atlantic Aviation Group (AAG), Element Six and Engine Lease Finance Corporation (ELFC) for a lively question and answer session moderated by Shannon Chamber Skillnet Network Manager, Alan Kelly. Trevor Rogers, organisation development manager with AAG, Stephen Linnane, general manager, Element Six, and Maria Frost, senior vice president, human resources at ELFC, brought valuable insights into the strategic importance of keeping employees' skills aligned with the evolving needs of industry. During a panel discussion, they shared their views on topics as diverse as: people development during a corporate merger, addressing skills gaps post-apprenticeships, Skillnet Ireland as an operating model, the future of learning and development and the growing relevance of sustainability literacy. They highlighted the benefits of having balanced skills within an organisation and discussed the positive payback, in terms of mindset shift and increased motivation, that can result from introducing a skills-based pay programme, as well as the urgency of prioritising digital literacy across all sectors. Having witnessed, first hand, a clear escalation in the demand for talent development programmes, Shannon Chamber CEO, Helen Downes, said that operating a Skillnet Business Network has enabled the Chamber to help local b...

National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company responsible for delivering the Government's National Broadband Plan (NBP), has announced that two-thirds of homes, farms and businesses in the rollout area can now connect to high-speed broadband. There are now 367,154 premises that have been passed with NBI fibre (out of the 564,000 currently included in the NBP Intervention Area). This follows a decision earlier this year to bring forward the connection timeline for 65,000 homes, farms and businesses, ensuring faster access to fibre broadband for thousands of families and communities across rural Ireland. When a premises is passed, an order can be placed to connect to high-speed fibre broadband on the NBI Network. People living and working in rural Ireland can enter their Eircode on the NBI website, www.nbi.ie, to see if their home or business is included in the rollout and how to get connected. With more than 50 broadband providers actively selling on NBI's open-access network, rural communities now have access to the same level of competition and choice as those in urban areas. Customers can select from a wide range of internet providers, with competitive pricing and bundled packages available nationwide. The rollout is already delivering meaningful impact with 129,079 premises already connected. Take-up rates now average 35% and continue to climb, approaching 60% in areas where the network has been live the longest such as the rural areas near Athlone, Castlebar and Emyvale. Fibre broadband is also live on ten offshore islands, including Hare Island, Collanmore Island and Rutland Island, with build works significantly completed on others, including Achill Island, where people can now order connectivity on the NBI Network. Independent research has highlighted early social and economic benefits, such as improved quality of life, increased productivity for rural businesses, and enhanced access to services, showing the transformative potential of the NBP as it nears completion. Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O'Donovan, T.D., said: "This is a major milestone for the National Broadband Plan and for rural Ireland. Two-thirds of homes, farms and businesses in the rollout area can now access world-class connectivity - a transformative step for communities, businesses and families across the country. Reliable high-speed broadband is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity, and I am proud of the Government's ongoing commitment to ensuring every home, no matter how remote, is given the opportunity to thrive in a connected world." Peter Hendrick, Chief Executive Officer, National Broadband Ireland, said: "We are proud to have passed two-thirds of the premises in the State intervention area, bringing us significantly closer to our goal of delivering high-speed fibre broadband to every home, farm and business in the rollout area. The strong and growing take-up rate reflects the demand for reliable connectivity in rural Ireland and the trust people are placing in the NBI network. With over 50 retail providers offering services on our open-access network, end users have real choice and access to world-leading speeds." Progress update as of 23.05.2025: The number of premises passed, and which can connect to NBI's fibre network, is 367,154. 129,079 premises are already connected. The average take-rate is 35%. Take-up is approaching 60% where services have been available for longer. 95% of the project (537,286 premises) has moved to or through construction. 100% of premises have been surveyed. Take-up rates are approaching 60% in the Deployment Areas that were released first. 955 Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) have been installed and are live with 672 of these in schools. A high-speed broadband connection through NBI is available for order on 10 of the 27 islands included in the rollout. The remaining 17 islands are in various stages of survey and design works. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's...

By Nikki Trott For too long, business has been treated as separate from the rest of life. It's been built on models of extraction, scarcity, linear discarding and competition, designed for short-term success and measured only by financial growth. But business is not outside the ecosystem of life - it is one of the most powerful forces shaping it. I wrote Sacred Business because I have seen that we urgently need a new model - one that aligns business, and its success, with the flourishing of life on Earth. Sacred business? After years advising some of the world's most iconic brands, I started to question the meaning of success. I saw leaders and teams pushing endlessly for more - more reach, more revenue, more growth - but often at the cost of health, purpose and the planet. I questioned: is that really success? At the same time, I was on my own journey of personal transformation, exploring practices from indigenous wisdom to meditation and energy work. What struck me was how deeply misaligned our dominant business culture is with the principles of life itself. At one point, I found myself integrating my growing conscious practices into my mornings, but returning to my laptop and making decisions from the same old mindsets: scarcity, control and busyness. I saw this pattern in my clients, too - purpose-led entrepreneurs and CEOs who genuinely wanted to create change, but were still operating within the mental and strategic frameworks they'd inherited. That's when it became clear to me: we cannot transform business without transforming ourselves. As Albert Einstein said, 'the same consciousness that created a problem cannot be used to solve it.' This is the central thesis of Sacred Business. It's a book for leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers who want to do more than add a purpose statement to their website. It's for people who are ready to align their inner evolution with their business strategy - so they can create companies that are not only successful, but regenerative, ethical and truly impactful. The book is a manifesto for the transformation of ourselves to create thriving businesses in harmony with the life around them. It offers a nine-principle framework, moving through shifts including From Busy to Present, From Linear to Cycles, and From Overthinking to Intuition. It's like having a business mentor and transformation guide wrapped into one. With practical tools throughout, it's grounded in real stories from clients I've worked with, thought leaders I've interviewed on my podcast Going Conscious, and my own journey building purpose-led ventures and investment platforms. The biggest thing I want readers to take away is this: business can be sacred. Not in a religious sense, but in the truest meaning of the word - something worthy of reverence and care. A Sacred Business doesn't reject ambition; it redefines it. These are businesses that thrive not despite their ethics, but because of them. They don't burn out their founders or resources - they grow in harmony with the world and create value across generations. This is not just a new way of doing business. It's a new way of being in business. Business is an expression of our human creativity and consciousness - a system to help solve problems and serve people. So why is it also the greatest contributor of our times to the degradation of planetary and human health? We're standing at a crossroads. Business holds the tools, systems and scale to turn things around. If we are bold enough to redesign it from the inside out, business can become the greatest force for true success, health and returning to thriving life on the planet. Welcome to the era of Sacred Business. Sacred Business by Nikki Trott is out 5th June RRP £25 (Bloomsbury Business) available at all good bookshops, Amazon or visit Nikki's website nikkitrott.com/sacredbusiness for more information. Connect with Nikki on Instagram @nikkitrott or LinkedIn /nikkitrott. See more breaking stories here.

Sky has unveiled Sky Glass Air, the smarter TV for a smarter price. The stylish new TV comes with vibrant 4K picture quality, Dolby Audio, voice control, and Sky built in, all streamed over Wi-Fi, with no dish or box required. Designed to make Sky's entertainment experience accessible to more households and for those wanting Sky TV in more rooms, Glass Air is available to buy from just €8/month (on 48-month interest free credit-sale agreement) with a Sky TV subscription from €18 a month for 12 months for new customers, when it goes on sale Tuesday 10th June. With a Sky Essential TV subscription starting from €18 per month for new customers, which includes Sky Atlantic, Netflix, and discovery+, TV fans can enjoy a wide variety of entertainment, along with the smart Sky Glass Air TV experience, from €26 per month. Sky Glass Air runs on Sky OS, the smart software that powers Sky Glass Gen 2 and Sky Stream, making it a great option for a second TV in the home for existing customers. 4K picture meets Dolby Audio With a 4K HDR Quantum Dot screen, Sky Glass Air delivers a vibrant picture packed full of colour. Global dimming and contrast enhancement automatically adjust the display for sharp, true-to-life visuals, combined with a Dolby Audio speaker system for rich sound. The TV intelligently adapts to what's on screen, bringing out the best in every moment, whether watching the latest series of The Last of Us or a nail-biting Premier League match. Simple set up and sleek design Available in three stylish colours - Sea Green, Carbon Grey, and Cotton White - and three sizes, 43", 55", and 65", Air's sleek design, slim frame and colour-matched remote and stand complement any room. It's quick and easy to set up, with no tools required, it can simply be lifted onto the stand included in the box. It's also compatible with universal wall mounts, as well as Sky's own. Caroline Donnellan, Marketing & Brand Director of Sky & NOW said, "With the launch of Sky Glass Air, we're bringing the Sky TV experience to even more households in Ireland. Combining an elegant design, superb picture quality and rich sound from just €8 a month, Sky Glass Air is our smarter TV for a smarter price. It's about giving our customers their favourite content with greater flexibility, without compromising on the quality our customers expect from Sky." Sky OS: The smartest way to watch Sky OS does the hard work by bringing together entertainment from Sky and all the popular apps in one place, helping TV fans get to what they want to watch, faster. And it keeps getting smarter, with regular updates and new features added. With hands-free voice control, simply say "Hello Sky…" to turn on the TV, search for shows or genres from Sky and apps, adjust volume, add to Playlist and much more. Sky OS learns what viewers like to watch, curating collections of the best entertainment based on viewing habits, so there's always something new to enjoy. There are now 30 more genre rails on the homepage, which are personalised based on watch history and bring together suggestions of what to watch across Sky content, apps and channels. With collections including Hilarious sitcoms, Thrilling action movies, and Suspenseful crime drama, there's something for everyone. With personal Playlists, viewers can save all their favourites from Sky, live TV and apps in one place, ready to watch later. Plus, the Continue Watching rail allows customers to quickly pick up where they left off, whatever channel or app their show is on. Premium entertainment for less Sky Glass Air is available from just €8/month for the 43", €12.50 for the 55" and €15.50 for the 65" on 48-month interest free credit-sale agreement. New customers can combine it with Sky Essential TV (€18/month for 12 months), to enjoy top-rated shows from Sky, Netflix, and discovery+, all on a smart new TV from just €26/month*. Sky Essential TV offers customers a taste of Sky for an affordable price, with over 70 channels including Sky A...

As Ireland accelerates its offshore renewable energy ambitions, a new initiative is underway to safeguard marine ecosystems from underwater noise pollution, a growing global environmental concern. The Irish Marine Acoustics Platform (IMAP) research?project will establish Ireland's first systematic underwater acoustic monitoring programme. This noise monitoring programme will help to protect marine life by identifying, managing and mitigating the underwater radiated noise (URN) pollution which may occur during the building of offshore wind farms. Launched in April of this year, the project will run until December 2028 and is funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and the Marine Institute (MI) with the MaREI Centre in University College Cork (UCC) and Wind Energy Ireland as project partners. The project will record annual and seasonal variations in ambient sound levels throughout Irish coastal waters using hydrophones. These devices will be strategically placed around the entire Irish coastline, in line with proposed locations for offshore developments. Using advanced analytics, modelling and data infrastructure, the programme will enable offshore developers to ensure an appropriate balance is met between the need to develop renewable energy and the need to conserve our marine biodiversity. On conclusion of the research project, the data collected will be used to establish an underwater noise baseline to be used to determine future project viability. The IMAP project will also create expertise in a growing research area and provide the necessary underwater equipment to continue future exploration. Speaking about the research, Gerry Sutton, IMAP Project Lead at University College Cork, said: "This acoustic baseline project will help ensure Ireland's green energy transition doesn't come at the cost of our marine ecosystems. It is a critical step toward responsible development and will help to ensure that Ireland's offshore expansion proceeds sustainably, minimising ecological risks while cutting the carbon emissions which put marine life in danger." Kerrie Sheehan, Head of Research, Innovation and Electricity at the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, added: "SEAI is pleased to support this project, which aligns with Ireland's ambitious goals for expanding the offshore wind sector to meet government targets for 2030 and 2050. "Co-funded by the Marine Institute, the project will investigate the potential impacts of underwater noise pollution from offshore infrastructure on marine ecosystems. The data collected, along with an online research portal, will serve as a vital resource for informed decision-making during the planning stages of offshore developments. "This initiative will help safeguard marine life while accelerating Ireland's transition to clean energy." Further information on the project can be found at https://info.windenergyireland.com/en-ie/imap.

As Ireland celebrates its fourth National Food Waste Recycling Week, new research highlights both the remarkable progress made in brown bin usage and the ongoing challenge of contamination. With over 200,000 new brown bins rolled out nationwide since the start of 2024, bringing the total number of brown bin owners across Ireland to approximately 1.2 million, householders in Ireland are embracing food waste recycling like never before. However, a recent study of over 1,000 adults reveals that despite widespread brown bin usage, contamination remains a concern, potentially compromising the quality of compost and hindering our efforts towards a circular economy. The research, conducted by Empathy Research on behalf of MyWaste, Ireland's official guide to managing your waste, found that while the vast majority of people use their brown bin (84%), confusion and occasional haste can at times lead to incorrect items being disposed of in the brown bin. The study indicated that 33% admit to knowingly putting incorrect items in their brown bin, a figure that rises to 50% amongst 18-34-year-olds. The research also highlights confusion about garden waste, with younger adults (18-34) mistakenly believing stones and barbeque coals can be composted. Other common items incorrectly placed in brown bins include general waste (32%), the plastic around vegetables (26%), soft plastics (24%), and food cartons (24%). This National Food Waste Recycling Week (June 1st - June 8th, 2025), MyWaste.ie is launching a new campaign to tackle this problem, focusing on both confusion and haste as key contributing factors. "I'm delighted to see the continued growth in brown bin usage across the country," said Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with responsibility for Circular Economy, Alan Dillon TD. "The expansion of the programme, coupled with the dedication of Irish citizens, is a testament to our commitment to a circular economy and a greener future. By working together to reduce food waste in the first instance and minimise contamination thereafter, we can ensure that our food and garden waste is transformed into valuable compost, enriching our soil, supporting sustainable agriculture and reducing our carbon footprint." The research also explored the reasons behind these mistakes. The primary reason cited for knowingly putting an item in their brown bin incorrectly was being in a hurry (38%), with lack of knowledge about what is accepted in the brown bin being the second most common reason (26%). "It's fantastic to see so many households embracing the brown bin system," said Pauline McDonogh, Resource Efficiency Officer at MyWaste. "However, contamination remains a challenge. This National Food Waste Recycling Week we want to empower everyone to become brown bin champions in their homes, at work or at play. We understand that sometimes it can be confusing, which is why we're providing clear and accessible information to help everyone use their brown bin correctly. Putting the wrong items in the brown bin can compromise the recycling process and reduce the level of compost produced. Let's all remember: 'No Metal, No Glass, No Plastic Makes Our Brown Bin Fantastic!' By keeping contaminants out of our brown bins, we can protect our soil and contribute to a circular economy." What can go into the brown bin? The brown bin service accepts all types of food including raw and cooked meat and fish, plate scrapings, along with fruit and vegetable peelings. Other items that can go into the brown bin include food-soiled paper napkins, paper towels, greasy pizza boxes as well as grass clippings and light garden waste, including hedge clippings, spent compost and dead plants. What cannot go into the brown bin? To avoid contamination, remember to remove all packaging from food waste and avoid adding large branches, stones, rubble, plastic plant pots, barbeque coals or other non-compostable materials from your brown bin. ...

This is the first in a series where we aim to learn more about Irish solar trends. Who are we talking to, is it a logical journey to what you do now? You're speaking to Morgan Pierce, the founder and CEO of SolarSmart. My journey to solar started with a passion for sustainability and a belief that solar energy should be accessible for everyone. I don't come from a typical engineering background, but I've always been driven by innovation and environmental impact. I founded the company in late 2020 as a result of seeing a gap in the Irish market for a customer-first approach to the solar energy market. So it's been a logical, if unconventional, path that led me here. Irish Solar Trends with Morgan Pierce, SolarSmart It looks like solar installations was something that gradually grew and evolved as a business for you - would this be a fair description of the evolution of your company? Absolutely. SolarSmart started small, with me, a vision, and commitment to help people understand the power and practicality of solar. It grew steadily through word of mouth, education and trust. We've now installed over 1,300 solar systems across Ireland. Our evolution reflects increasing awareness and increasing confidence in solar as a viable solution for Irish homes and businesses Does Ireland get as much / more / less solar than other countries in Europe? Ireland gets less solar irradiation compared to countries like Spain or Italy, but it's still very viable here. A little known fact is that solar panels produce more electricity in temperatures of 25 celsius and lower! So, combined with our very long summer days and temperate climate, solar production in summer creates significant credit on your electricity bill which you take into the winter to offset when the solar is not as productive. Plus, thanks to advancements in panel technology, even on cloudy days, panels generate significant energy. Germany has a very successful solar industry with similar sunlight levels to Ireland. The key is designing each system specifically for the Irish climate, which is something we specialise in at SolarSmart. How much energy does a typical three bed house need, and therefore how many panels, batteries and kit would they need? A typical three bed house in Ireland uses on average 4,500 kWh per year. A well-designed solar system for a home like this would typically include 10 panels. This system size also allows homeowners to avail of the maximum SEAI solar PV grant of €1,800. Adding a battery, usually 5 or 10 kWh in capacity allows you to store surplus energy for use at night. A hot water immersion diverter also helps maximise your self-consumption and reduce your bills. What are the approximate costs for this, and the payback period? The approximate cost for a fully installed 4kWp residential system including 10 panels, an inverter and a 5kW battery is €8,600. This is after the SEAI grant. The payback period depends on the home's energy usage and system size, but it typically falls between 4 and 6 years. Have these costs come down as solar panel technology has improved? Yes, significantly. Over the past decade, the cost of solar panels has dropped more than 70%, while efficiency has increased. Batteries have also become more affordable and efficient, helping homeowners use more of their own solar energy. This trend in battery affordability is likely to continue as global demand and battery innovation improves. What tips would you give to people thinking of installing solar? Talk to a reputable installer who will design a system to match your energy needs. Look for an SEAI-registered installer, check out their online reviews, e.g. on Trustpilot, and ask questions. Our installation teams are employees; this is also key. Finally, a solid solar partner is not pushy and prioritises education and transparency. What might the future look like in Ireland in terms of people going off the grid? Full off-grid living is still niche in Ireland due to our climate and i...