The South East Science Festival is back from November 8 to 16, and this year's extensive programme of free and ticketed events across Waterford city and county, the Suir Valley and Carlow includes even more fascinating daytime and evening events in colleges, libraries, theatres and pubs.
All of the events across all three counties are engaging, all fun and all showcase how relevant all things science are in our everyday lives. Novel events this year include the science of wine tasting and pairing, coastal change, fossils, and copper mining.
Recent approval of the capital programme supporting the Veterinary Places Activation Programme (VPAP) and the creation a new veterinary school at SETU is a massive boost to the south east as a STEM cluster. Such investment is expected to spur even greater interest in this year's Festival programme of 90-plus events, which is supported by Research Ireland.
This year, Science Week celebrates its 30th anniversary with the theme Then. Today. Tomorrow. Managed by Research Ireland, Science Week 2025 marks thirty years of harnessing the power of curiosity and collaboration to advance science in Ireland.
Speaking ahead of Science Week, Director of Research for Society at Research Ireland, Dr Ruth Freeman, said: "Since its inception, Science Week has grown into a cornerstone of Ireland's national calendar, inspiring generations to explore the role of science in shaping our world - past, present, and future.
"Delivered through a dynamic nationwide programme and on the ground through agencies such as CALMAST, the South East Technological University's STEM engagement centre, Science Week includes in-person events, a widespread media campaign, and engaging educational content for both primary and secondary schools. The Science Week Funding Programme supports a diverse range of activities, ensuring science is accessible and exciting for all."
Engaging and fun presenters, Mark Langtry, Ken Farhuhar and Cas Kramer are back by popular demand on this year's South East Science Festival programme. And libraries have opened their doors, and their teams are coordinating and marketing events across venues such as Ardkeen, Clonmel, Cappoquin, Lismore, Dungarvan, Carlow town and Tallow.
This year's Festival theme, "Then. Today. Tomorrow", is central to the extensive programme of traditionally popular as well as new events on this year's South East Science Festival programme across Waterford, Tipperary and Carlow, Dr Sheila Donegan, Co-Founder and Co-Director of CALMAST, the South East Technological University's STEM engagement centre, said.
"We're really looking forward to engaging with all sections of the community, from primary school children right up to adult-only audiences for this year's South East Science Festival programme. It's fun, it's engaging, it's entertaining and educational. We're delighted to work with Research Ireland and with our partners and sponsors, key among them the local authorities, SETU, key STEM employers in the region.
"We now invite members of the public to peruse the schedule of events running across libraries, theatres, pubs, educational hubs, museums, and so much more and to book their place. We will be exploring the science behind wine tasting and pairing. We will also mix comedy and science, and will be looking at why copper was mined in Waterford and if it could be again. We're examining fossils in the city, will host a coastal change workshop and walk and much more. Many events booked out within hours last year, and we expect the very same for 2025," Dr Donegan said.
Among the South East Science Festival partners this year are internationally renowned street art festival specialists Spraoi. TV Honan, Spraoi Director, said: "Spraoi performances are a mix of art, engineering, and technology. Human creativity is the common link, and we love working with SETU colleagues, making imaginative connections between art and science."
For more on the South East Science Festival programme...

A hydrogen-powered renewable energy storage system developed by Atlantic Technological University Galway graduate, James Swift, has been awarded the Siemens Innovative Student Engineer of the Year Award 2025 by Engineers Ireland.
This annual competition, which took place on Wednesday, 22 October, showcases projects by third-level engineering students that demonstrate innovation, sustainability, and commercial potential, and this year marked 25 years of sponsorship by Siemens.
Five finalist teams were invited to present their projects, which ranged from biomedical devices to energy innovations, to a panel of judges at the competition final in Engineers Ireland.
James Swift, a graduate of Energy Engineering at Atlantic Technological University, Galway, received the award for developing a prototype hydrogen-based energy storage system designed to harness surplus renewable electricity and convert it into clean, reusable power.
James commented: "I am delighted and honoured to be awarded the Siemens Innovative Student Engineer of the Year Award 2025 by Engineers Ireland. This project set out to demonstrate how hydrogen can be adopted to fulfil energy balancing requirements across Ireland's rapidly growing renewable energy sector, and I would like to thank Siemens and Engineers Ireland for highlighting the importance of renewable energy technologies to our future sustainability."
The winning project was selected by a panel of judges, including Joe Walsh, Director and General Manager of Siemens Ireland; Niamh Hegarty, Director, Advanced Operations, Stryker; and Dave Ludgate, Associate Director, Sustainability Lead - Water, AECOM.
Commenting at the event, Joe Walsh, Director and General Manager of Siemens Ireland, said:
"We are incredibly proud to celebrate 25 years of supporting the Engineers Ireland Innovative Student Engineer of the Year Award. Encouraging young people into STEM fields and helping them develop the skills for a digital future is vital for Ireland's continued success.
"Digital technology is transforming every aspect of engineering, and it is inspiring to see students embracing innovation and creativity in their projects. Every year, I am struck by the creativity and determination shown by the students who take part in the awards. Congratulations to James, and to all who took part - your innovation is shaping the future of engineering in Ireland."
John Jordan, President of Engineers Ireland, added: "The initiatives showcased at the Siemens Innovative Student Engineer of the Year Award highlight the exceptional talent and ingenuity within our third-level engineering institutions. These students represent the next generation of Irish leaders, poised to drive forward innovative and sustainable solutions that will benefit communities both at home and abroad.
"I would like to offer a sincere congratulations to James Swift and the shortlisted finalists who truly exemplified innovation and engineering excellence. I wish each team continued success in their academic journey and future careers in engineering - they are the changemakers and leaders of tomorrow."
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Recently, I attended a Pitch event and listened to four entrepreneurs present their business ideas. Of these businesses, three already had revenue.
In my experience, the best presenter is more likely to win the pitch competition, because they will be remembered long after the other pitches are forgotten.
You win by being the best communicator and telling an exciting business story in the right way.
On this occasion, there was an audience vote at the end of the event to select the best Pitch.
I agreed with the audience's choice, and later, when I engaged with the judges, they shared the same opinion.
How should you Pitch?
Start here:
Priority One:
Tell the judges and the audience the problem you solve. The best way to do this is with a story that engages and is memorable, while clearly explaining the problem/opportunity.
In my experience with Pitch events/Competitions, the majority of decks are usually just collections of slides that attempt to provide information; more often than not, they are unmemorable and dull.
Priority Two:
Tell the listeners about your customers and your sales to date.
If you are at a very early stage, tell people who your customers will be and what your current level of engagement is.
Priority Three:
Introduce the team and their expertise early; people give money to people they believe in. Investors need to judge whether this person will spend their money wisely.
Next, discuss your solution. Keep it short and straightforward.
What else is a potential investor or judge on a panel looking for?
Here are some of my thoughts.
Start and finish on time; it's bad manners to do otherwise
On this occasion, everyone ran over time and had to rush through their final slides.
In most cases, the slides and information that the judges required to make an informed decision about the business idea and the team's ambition were missing.
The slides were generally uninteresting and lacked engagement.
It was unclear whom they would invoice.
In several cases, there was no ASK.
Revealed in the Q&A:
In all cases, the presentations became clear only after the judging panel quizzed the presenters to elicit the information that should have been included in the pitch deck.
When this happens, the judges will understand the problem you solve and who will pay for your solution.
Allow for more in-depth interrogation of the presentation and their plans for the next three years or so.
Be sure your financial numbers are accurate and, when asking for money/ investment, clearly explain to the judges how you plan to spend the funds.
Epilogue:
I've been coaching startups for 20+ years to pitch their business ideas.
Making a good impression the first time is critical; you may not get a second opportunity.
By Executive Coach Andrew Keogh of Aristo.ie

Guest post by Yasmin Vorajee
If you run your own business - whether you're a coach, consultant, or service provider - you've probably felt how quickly things can change online.
One week, your posts are flying; the next, the algorithm shifts and visibility drops overnight. A platform you've relied on for years suddenly changes its rules. And all that effort building an audience can feel like it's hanging by a thread.
That's why future-proofing your business isn't a luxury - it's essential.
It's about creating a business that still brings in clients, income, and opportunities no matter what happens online. One that's built on solid foundations, you control - not borrowed attention.
And it all starts here.
1. Build an Ecosystem You Own
When you rely entirely on social media, you're renting space on someone else's land.
Future-proofing begins by building what you own - your email list, your website, and your digital assets.
These are the foundations that give you stability and control, even when the online landscape changes. They're how you build lasting relationships with your audience - directly, personally, and on your own terms.
2. Craft a Message That Moves With You
Platforms change. Your message shouldn't.
Your message is the thread that travels with you anywhere - from a post to a podcast to a stage.
A strong, clear message cuts through the noise and makes your business recognisable, no matter where people find you. It's the story you keep telling: who you help, how you help, and the difference your work makes.
Clarity never goes out of style.
3. Turn Your Expertise Into a Signature Framework
When your expertise becomes a framework or process, you're no longer competing on trends - you're leading with ideas.
Frameworks make you memorable. They give structure to your brilliance and make it easy for people to trust what you do.
This is how your business becomes bigger than you - it turns into a body of work that lasts.
4. Build Systems That Create Leverage
The most resilient businesses aren't the busiest - they're the best designed.
Think automation, not exhaustion.
A future-proof business has simple systems that nurture leads, deliver value, and generate sales - even when you're offline.
Automated emails, repurposed content, digital assets that sell - these are the quiet engines that keep your business moving while you take time off.
5. Diversify How People Find You
Visibility should be layered, not linear.
Don't rely on one discovery source. Blend search-based visibility (like blogs, YouTube, or podcasts) with connection-based growth (collaborations, interviews, and referrals).
This approach creates stability and reach. When one source slows down, another keeps your business visible.
6. Multiply How You Monetise
Your core transformation - the result your clients get - can take many forms: a course, a program, a workshop, or a digital product.
Future-proofing means creating multiple ways to buy - all connected to the same message and expertise.
That's how you build consistent revenue and long-term sustainability, without reinventing your business every few months.
7. Stay Adaptable - Inside and Out
No system can replace the ability to stay calm and clear when things change.
The entrepreneurs who last are the ones who can hold their nerve - they lead themselves first.
That's why future-proofing isn't just about systems; it's about self-trust.
The more grounded and adaptable you are, the more freedom your business gives you.
8. Keep Refining and Reinventing
Finally, treat your business like a living thing - it grows, evolves, and occasionally needs pruning.
Review your data.
Listen to your clients.
Refine your message.
Adjust your strategy.
Businesses that last don't cling to what used to work. They stay alert, curious, and willing to evolve.
The Bottom Line
A future-proof business is one that works even when you step away.
It's powered by ownership, clarity, leverage, and adaptability.
Because freedom isn't found in chasin...

The new Grá Macroom Gift Card for the town of Macroom and neighbouring villages listed on the Grá Macroom Gift Card has gone live following an official launch event at the Castle Hotel in Macroom on the 29th October.
Backed by Macroom Business Association, the Grá Macroom Gift Card replaces the previous paper Macroom shopping voucher and extends its reach from the town to its surrounding villages in the Lee Valley region, benefiting 15,000 people and around 100 businesses.
Available in both physical and digital formats, the new Grá Macroom Gift Card is part of the award winning Town & City Gift Card initiative, and the first of its kind in County Cork.
Cards are available to buy online and in person from Killian Auctioneers Macroom, Cooney's Garage in Coachford, Connections in Macroom, Dromeys Centra in Ballymakeera and Daybreak in Ballingeary and can be spent with around 100 participating local businesses.
The Grá Macroom Gift Card is eligible to be used with the Small Benefit Exemption that allows organisations to gift their people up to five small non-cash benefits, tax free, each year up to the value of €1,500.
Organisations can avail of a new corporate ordering site, with physical cards delivered securely by post, or the ability to send digital cards on a day/time of the organisation's choosing.
Irish owned chain Connections has stores across County Cork, including in Macroom. The Macroom store is both a location to buy the new Grá Macroom Gift Card and a business which accepts the card.
David O'Leary is CEO and founder of Connections and said: "It's the right time for Macroom to have its own high-tech gift card because the paper vouchers were dated. The new Grá Macroom Gift Card, being a physical and digital card, is more streamlined and easy to use. Since the pandemic, we've moved from around 40% card payments to 70% card payments. The Grá Macroom Gift Card is something recipients will have in their pocket or digital wallet.
"Coming up to Christmas, employers can buy the Grá Macroom Gift Card for their staff in bulk. It's an easy, efficient way to reward staff. Why would you give a Perx or One4All Gift Card, when you can keep it local with the Grá Macroom Gift Card, and ensure that spend stays in the local economy. It makes more sense.
"The extension of the Grá Macroom Gift Card beyond Macroom to its neighbouring villages will bring the benefits of the initiative to more people."
Restaurants, pubs and hotels also accept the new Grá Macroom Gift Card, such as third generation family-owned The Castle Hotel. Manager, Rory Buckley, said:
"The Castle is a four star hotel with 56 bedrooms and a leisure club. The launch of the new gift card is a great move for Macroom. Every community wants money to circulate and keep spend local, and that's what the Grá Macroom Gift Card will do. We accept the card at the hotel, and I think in today's economy, a card that can be used to pay for annual leisure club membership, swimming lessons for the kids or on an ongoing basis to enjoy lunch out is a real positive, easing the cost of living.
"The ease of purchase and use of the Grá Macroom Gift Card will also bolster tourism. With the card, people can enjoy a night away and a full experience of Macroom, spending over and above what's on the card as they enjoy Macroom and its surrounding villages. A former Macroom resident now living in Australia recently commented that they see the card as a great gift to give to family still living at home in Macroom. So as well as locking spend into Macroom, it'll bring new money in too."
Third generation business Matt Murphy's Pharmacy in Macroom is part of the new card. Henry Murphy commented:
"The pharmacy is a family run, third generation business that has been located in the centre of Macroom for over 100 years. We used to purchase the paper vouchers for our staff and this year, we'll be purchasing the new card. It's nice that there's the option of the physical or digital card, and I like the fact ...

This November 4-6, Frogo invites you to stand #1047 at SiGMA Rome - where everyone will have the chance to see how our next-generation fraud prevention platform helps businesses stay one leap ahead of every threat in real time.
At SiGMA Rome, Frogo - a RedCore's brand - will be on-site to present how its intelligent tools, from device fingerprinting and AI-powered scoring to graph-based forensics, work together to deliver instant visibility into user behavior and fraud patterns. Frogo empowers companies across iGaming, e-commerce, fintech, and beyond to detect anomalies, respond in real time, and protect their profits with confidence.
But Frogo's appearance in Rome isn't just about technology - it's about redefining how businesses approach risk in a world where threats evolve every minute.
Frogo at SiGMA Rome
"Fraud doesn't wait and neither do we," says Frogo CEO Volodymyr Todurov. "Our goal is to make fraud prevention not just smarter, but simpler. We want to show how companies can shift from chasing fraud to predicting it and even turning those insights into profit."
Visitors to the Frogo stand will be able to explore the platform's all-in-one environment, designed to centralize everything anti-fraud teams need - from automated scoring policies to AI-powered insights and dynamic rule management.
Where to Find Frogo
Frogo will be present at stand #1047, ready to connect with businesses that want to take control of risk, automate their processes and strengthen customer trust without slowing down operations. Whether you're looking for a scalable solution or just exploring what's next in fraud prevention - Frogo's team is ready to meet you.
About Frogo
Frogo is a next-generation anti-fraud product built for companies that take fraud seriously. With solutions combining device fingerprinting, AI-powered scoring and forensic-level analysis, Frogo empowers teams to detect smarter, respond faster and act with confidence.
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.

At ExCeL London last week, ManageEngine, the IT management division of Zoho Corporation, announced a major expansion across the United Kingdom and Ireland. The region is now the company's second-largest market worldwide, accounting for ten per cent of global revenue and growing at twenty per cent year on year.
For CEO Rajesh Ganesh, the success in the UK and Ireland is both strategic and symbolic. "These markets have always been early adopters of technology," he says. "They were among the first to invest in large-scale digital infrastructure. Today, the focus is on how to get the best return on those investments, how to keep systems running, how to measure productivity, and how to stay secure."
ManageEngine growth planned for the UK and Ireland
Security is now central to ManageEngine's business. As more companies move to hybrid or fully digital operations, the attack surface expands. Regulations such as GDPR have also raised the stakes. "Regulation is really about evidence," Ganesh explains. "You must always be ready to show that you follow best practices, who has access to what, what happened, and when. That's what our products do. They make that evidence available in real time."
ManageEngine operates in 190 countries and has evolved with the industry it serves. Founded in 1996 by engineers who left Bell Labs and Qualcomm to return to India, the original business built software for telecom manufacturers. After the dotcom collapse in 2001, the company pivoted, deciding to build software that could manage any IT infrastructure, not just those of telcos. That decision gave birth to ManageEngine.
"We wanted to build a global product company out of India," Ganesh says. "Why should innovation only come from Silicon Valley?"
From ten employees in 1996, ManageEngine has grown to a team of six thousand within Zoho's eighteen thousand-strong organisation. The company's core customers are CIOs and IT leaders responsible for keeping modern enterprises secure, compliant, and operational. "Every business today is a digital business," Ganesh says. "Our role is to help them manage that reality."
The firm's growth is driven by its end-to-end model. Rather than offering point solutions, ManageEngine provides a single integrated platform covering service management, cybersecurity, compliance, and automation. "Our customers don't want to manage multiple vendors," Ganesh says. "They want one system of record. That's been our vision from the beginning."
ManageEngine competes across several categories, from ServiceNow and Atlassian in IT service management to Microsoft in endpoint control, but Ganesh is careful not to define the company purely by competition. "We've always built rather than acquired," he says. "Our technology, support, and cloud infrastructure are all in-house. We even run our own data centres. It's slower, yes, but it keeps us close to our customers and their challenges."
That proximity is both cultural and operational. ManageEngine's technical support sits alongside its engineering teams; they travel together, visit customers, and feed insights directly into product development.
"We don't outsource," Ganesh says simply. "We believe in face-to-face interaction. Our customers tell us again and again how much they value that."
The UK office is in Milton Keynes, and the company operates data centres in the UK, Amsterdam, and Ireland, an investment that proved essential after Brexit.
"When the UK left the EU, certain clients, especially in government and healthcare, required data to be hosted locally," Ganesh explains. "We responded immediately by building the infrastructure here."
An Irish office is likely to follow. "It makes sense," he says. "We already have a data centre there and a growing customer base. Ireland will be an important part of our regional expansion."
The company's long-term approach is deliberate. ManageEngine prioritises resilience over speed, preferring to build self-sufficient systems with minimal external de...

By David Stephen
How much will an individual be willing to pay, to know - approximately - how human intelligence works? Or, how much will an individual, who is learning something new, be willing to pay, to prospect the process of learning, recall and understanding? How much will corporations be willing to buy this subscription for their workers, towards reskilling? How much will parents be willing to pay, for this, for their children?
What does it mean that human intelligence is creative, innovative or can do problem-solving? What does it mean that human intelligence can operate and improve processes?
The value of Human Intelligence
Answering these questions, alone, is an exceptional start where there is nothing at all. It is a leap too, in human knowledge, to close-in on the basis for the advancement of human society.
At this time, across science, there is no standard definition for human intelligence. There are no types of intelligence based on theoretical neuroscience. There is no known brain mechanism - even theoretically - on how human intelligence works. There is no explanation of learning stages with respect to the components and the relays of intelligence in the brain.
Becoming the first to answer these questions, conceptually, with strict extractions from empirical brain science will be a huge economic hit, providing a necessary solution, generating immediate profits by creating a market to dominate.
This is a major progress opportunity as well as a commercial goldmine. The product will be displays [digital or paper]. The service will be the mechanism of human intelligence. The value will be advancement of humans for the benefit of human society, without external dependencies - on devices, servers or networks.
Investing to provide the mechanism of human intelligence will require far less than the staggering amounts that have been invested in AI by venture capitals in 2025. It will also be more valuable, at least times four, almost instantly than the most valuable startup in the world, since the solution is the only one there, for the only thing there - intelligence or the significance of what it means to exist.
Investing in this will not just be another AI video app, or data center, but directly for humans, wherever humans are, useful to analyze the past, reshape the present and build the future amid uncertainties.
Human Intelligence - Unknowns
To nimble around the current situation, the thing to do is an internet search or to prompt any AI chatbot [with the questions below] to place the gap.
What is human intelligence?
What are the types of human intelligence?
What are the components of human intelligence in the brain? What are their relays?
How exactly does human intelligence work, in the brain?
How can the components of human intelligence be used to measure it?
What is the difference between the intelligence that can be used to drive a car against an intelligence that can be used to invent one?
[Answer this question with components of intelligence in the brain, not just parts or areas of the brain, mention the direct components and how, answer creatively].
Human Intelligence Research Lab - Startup
Human intelligence is specifically described as the use of memory for desired, expected or advantageous outcomes. This means that whenever memory is used excellently for certain outcomes then that is intelligence.
There are two major types of intelligence, operational intelligence and improvement intelligence. Both of them have mild and complex ranges.
The specific components of intelligence, conceptually, in the brain are electrical and chemical signals. Their interactions and attributes make-and-wheel intelligence. Whenever the brain is said to be active in empirical neuroscience, electrical and chemical signals of neurons are at work. This postulation submits that they [in sets, obtained in clusters of neurons] are responsible for the configuration and transportation of intelligence.
Several attributes can explain o...

Professor Aideen Ryan, Professor in Tumour Immunology at University of Galway's College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. Photo: Andrew Downes
Researchers at the University of Galway have revealed the results of a world-first study into how bowel cancer shuts down the immune system, and how this can be reversed to improve treatment.
The findings have been published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC).
Breakthrough for bowel cancer immunotherapy
The research team showed how structural stromal cells switch off the immune system and how the body's own killer cells can be switched back on, opening up the opportunity for a completely new approach to optimising immunotherapy for patients.
Colorectal cancer - commonly referred to as bowel cancer - is one of the world's most common cancers and the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Diagnoses in people under 50 have been climbing in recent decades, with recent global analysis showing these early-onset cases have almost doubled since 1990. In Ireland, the disease affects more than 2,500 people a year.
Professor Aideen Ryan, Professor in Tumour Immunology at University of Galway's College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, said: "While immunotherapy has revolutionised care in cancers such as melanoma and lung cancer, it has shown very limited benefit in bowel cancer, leaving patients with advanced disease with few treatment options and poor survival outcomes."
The breakthrough research discovery is the first to demonstrate that tumour stromal cells - the structural cells that support cancer growth - are directly reprogramming the immune system. They do this by switching off, or hijacking, two of our body's most important tumour-fighting cells - the natural killers (NK) and macrophages - rendering them unable to attack the cancer.
Professor Ryan said: "The interaction between the cancer, our body's healthy cells and our defence mechanism is a complex one, but our research shows that the cancer is essentially creating an immune brake - it is blocking the body's natural response and fight mechanism."
What has been discovered in relation to how the cancer interacts with the human body?
Tumour stromal cells are the structural cells which allow the cancer to grow. They are coated in sugars called sialoglycans. These interact with receptors on the body's immune cells called Siglecs. This interaction causes the body's natural defence response to be switched off and unresponsive when immunotherapy is used, and therefore unable to attack the cancer.
The research identified a specific enzyme that drives this process of 'switching off', as it produces the Siglec-binding sugars on stromal cells.
When the researchers blocked this pathway using drugs called sialidases, they could show that the body's most important tumour-fighting cells - the natural killers (NK) and macrophages - reactivated. It showed that the tumours shrank and the spread of cancer, known as metastasis, was prevented.
The multidisciplinary research was conducted in collaboration with colorectal surgeons and pathologists at Galway University Hospital, led by Professor Aisling Hogan and Professor Sean Hynes; as well as experts in colorectal cancer - Dr Philip Dunne, Queen's University Belfast and experts in targeting sialoglycans at Palleon Pharmaceuticals, MA, USA, who have developed sialidase drugs that disrupt the sialoglycan-Siglec interaction.
Professor Ryan added: "Our research is a clear breakthrough in our understanding of bowel cancer and how immunotherapy could be more successful. This world-first finding shows that some of the bowel cancer cells are not just passive bystanders, they are actively reprogramming the body's immune cells, preventing them from doing their job. We have uncovered an entirely new checkpoint and by focusing on it we can reactivate the immune system and improve our body's innate ability to fight the disease, and even target metastasis."
Michael O'Dwyer, Pro...

The first businesses have been successfully onboarded to the forthcoming Dungarvan & West Waterford Gift Card, following an information meeting in the town.
A replacement to Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber's paper chamber vouchers, the new Dungarvan & West Waterford Gift Card is set to launch pre-Christmas.
The original paper system launched in 2008. Following massive growth, sales of these vouchers reach in excess of €1million every year.
The Dungarvan & West Waterford Gift Card will be available as either a physical card or a digital e-card. Digital cards can be added to digital wallets enabling tap to pay technology.
Around 150 businesses currently accept the paper chamber vouchers, with all eligible to accept the new card which works on the Mastercard system. There are no costs for businesses to register to accept the Dungarvan & West Waterford Gift Card, and no additional equipment is required.
Various in person and online information meetings were held for the business community and were attended by representatives from Miconex, founders of the Town & City Gift Card program active across Ireland. Miconex will provide the technology for the new Dungarvan & West Waterford Gift Card.
Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber CEO, Jenny Beresford, said the upgrade to a physical and digital card builds on the success of the paper programme: "It's a case of 'you spoke, we listened' with the new card. Moving away from paper to a card system is something businesses and consumers have requested for some time now. Our goal was a tried and tested system which is what we have with the new card provided by Miconex. We trust Miconex to deliver this for us.
"There will be many benefits for all involved, especially businesses. With the paper vouchers, recipients were confined to spending in one business, whereas with the new card, they can spend with multiple participating businesses. This will spread the benefit out to more businesses. Merchants get paid into their bank like any other Mastercard transaction, taking away the paper voucher administration. The simplicity is what businesses love.
"It's great to see so many businesses signing up to accept the card. Our goal over the coming weeks is to get all of our participating businesses set up and ready to accept the cards in readiness for the Christmas season."
Colin Munro is the managing director of Miconex and said: "The registration process to accept the forthcoming Dungarvan & West Waterford Gift Card is simple and involves businesses completing an online form and undertaking a test transaction. The Town & City Gift Card initiative is a proven means to drive revenue and spend to local businesses and with the new Dungarvan & West Waterford Gift Card, we can build on the success of the paper chamber voucher with a future-proofed gift card that will take 'shop local' to the next level in Dungarvan and West Waterford."
See more stories here.

The latest Everhaze "Battle of the Airwaves" report has found that Fianna Fáil's leadership turmoil was the most defining and negatively framed story of the 2025 Presidential election, eclipsing all other topics across more than 16,000 radio mentions. The fallout, which was intertwined with Jim Gavin's withdrawal generated over 2,000 mentions resulting in a sustained national discussion and an average negative weighted sentiment of -43.8 pp, the lowest of the election.
Amid the turbulence, Maria Steen emerged as an unexpected winner of the campaign, gaining national prominence on a non-polarising current securing 1,300 mentions largely avoiding controversy and securing net sentiment of +1.0 pp. In contrast, the two leading candidates, Catherine Connolly and Heather Humphreys, were both drawn into negative narratives late in the race, as Connolly's "Bank Representation" (-3.6 pp) and Humphreys' "Shane O'Farrell" (-4.2 pp) storylines became the most damaging stories of their respective campaigns.
Connolly ultimately led the airwaves in the final fortnight (44.1% share of voice, +2.3 pp net sentiment) with coverage driven by governance reform and community advocacy themes. Humphreys followed at 37.3% (-2.6 pp), her tone weighed down by ongoing justice and departmental accountability discussions. Gavin's residual post-withdrawal commentary held 18.6% (-3.6 pp) and remained strongly associated with leadership fallout.
Local radio again proved decisive, accounting for 72% of all mentions, while national talk shows supplied narrative framing and tone moderation. Overall sentiment across the campaign closed slightly negative (-0.8 pp net), underscoring a cycle defined more by leadership disruption and controversy than by policy promotion.
Speaking about the findings, James McCann, CEO of Everhaze said:
"Jim Gavin's withdrawal from the race, and the ensuing fallout for Fianna Fáil's leadership, will likely stand as the defining story of the 2025 Presidential campaign. Equally striking is how Maria Steen's absence from the ballot became an unexpected advantage. The sheer volume of her mentions, combined with their notably non-polarising tone, propelled her into national prominence without the burden of controversy. It's also unsurprising that Catherine Connolly was the only candidate to finish with a positive sentiment score, largely because Heather Humphreys' campaign struggled to generate strong counter-narratives capable of offsetting a series of negative stories."
The Battle of the Airwaves: Irish Presidential Campaign 2025 report analysed more than 16,000 radio mentions from 60 stations nationwide, tracking sentiment, share of voice, geography, and trend dynamics between 24 September and 25 October 2025.
Everhaze is an Irish-built PR intelligence platform that tracks real-time media coverage across radio, print, and online sources in Ireland and the UK. Its technology combines broadcast capture with AI-driven analysis to map who is getting talked about, where, and in what tone. The platform is widely used by communicators to monitor campaigns, understand sentiment shifts, and measure share of voice.
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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
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Dyle, is a tech startup founded out of Ireland and MIT. The founder of Dyle, Oisín O'Sullivan, previously led Klarna's launch in Ireland and is now building Dyle in NYC. Oisin has had an interesting journey rom Ireland to MIT to Klarna to leading a venture-backed AI company. Now based in ERA, New York's top tech accelerator, Dyle has raised $500k+ in venture funding. I recently caught up with Oisin to find out more about his interesting journey.
Oisin, talks about his background, his interesting journey, ERA and more.
More about Dyle:
Dyle offers AI software that finds revenue opportunities by analysing data from tools like Slack, Salesforce, and Amplitude. Dyle is also the first Agentic AI Account Manager that unifies product analytics and CRM data to surface customer signals, driving expansion and retention revenue. Dyle was recently part of Irish Tech Week NYC, just after their ERA Demo Day at Google, and they were on the Times Square Billboards last week.
See more podcasts 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.

By Billy Linehan
Maker Faire Festival of invention
Maker Faire Rome is a family-friendly festival of invention, creativity and resourcefulness. It brings together creators, tinkerers, artists, scientists, engineers and enthusiasts of all ages to showcase their projects, share ideas, learn from each other and connect.
Each year the fair attracts a wide range of participants from across Europe and beyond. The 2025 edition, held at the Gazometro Ostiense site in Rome, showed how Italy presents technology as something open to everyone rather than the preserve of specialists or companies. It is a public meeting place where ideas, skills and tools are shared.
Curated by Innova Camera
The event is promoted and organised by Innova Camera, the Special Agency of the Rome Chamber of Commerce, with support from the Italian Trade Agency and other public partners. ENI, Italy's leading energy company, was the Platinum Partner for Maker Faire Rome 2025, showcasing its work in sustainable energy and innovation.
Readers can see my first report on the event, published in Irish Tech News , which gives background on the fair's scale and purpose. This follow-up looks at what stood out for me in 2025 and why Maker Faire Rome continues to matter.
A city of invention
Rome becomes a city of invention for three days. People attend to show what they have built, not simply what they intend to sell. Exhibitors range from individual hobbyists to full university research groups. Companies such as Digikey and Arduino are there alongside independent makers. Robots, devices made from recycled materials and new teaching tools for electronics and coding are all on display.
The organisers placed a stronger emphasis this year on sustainability, digital manufacturing and human-centred technology.
Makers tackling real problems
Across the halls and marquees, the emphasis was on solving practical problems. Many exhibitors focused on energy, agriculture, health and sustainability rather than consumer gadgets.
The DAFNE project (Digital Agriculture Framework for the Networked Economy), led by the University of Tuscia, focused on combatting the Xylella pathogen that attacks olive trees. It showed how crop-protection research can connect scientific study with practical farming applications.
At the University of Siena, a public health team presented UV-Heroes , a device for disinfecting stethoscopes that addresses a genuine hospital hygiene issue.
Access to digitised heritage
Elsewhere, the Rome-based startup Scan Heritage demonstrated both 2D and 3D digitisation of cultural and archival materials. Their work creates accurate digital copies of documents, artefacts and objects to support preservation, study and public access. The approach has some similarities with Ireland's Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland, as both protect fragile archives through digital access.
These examples reflected a grounded approach to technology, linking design with real-world needs.
Highlights from the fair
With hundreds of exhibits spread across four gasometers, halls, pavilions and outdoor spaces, Maker Faire Rome covered everything from electronics and robotics to applied research and digital art. I focused on projects where ideas are being put to use, alongside creators working with materials and form.
A lively robot-football tournament drew large crowds. The SPQR team from Sapienza University of Rome played against visiting teams from the Netherlands and Germany, showing how academic research can be turned into fast, reactive machines.
Swiss maker Manuel Imboden presented his Open Source Satellite Kit, an open CubeSat model that helps beginners understand space technology. A former film producer, Imboden turned to electronics and engineering during the pandemic and has since built an online following through his YouTube channel.
Technology with a Human Purpose
Several research projects showed how technology supports social and medical work. The Pet Robots research team from the Universit...

Guest post by Cillian McCarthy, CEO, Paradyn
More often than not, the weakest link in any organisation's defences is its people. Evolving social engineering tactics such as deepfakes, an ever-increasing volume of cyberattacks, and the growing sophistication of threats from would-be hackers combine to make a perfect cybersecurity storm which can confuse and overwhelm employees. A key reason for this is a lack of cybersecurity awareness, and that's why building a strong cybersecurity culture is paramount.
Transforming employees into active defenders
Cultivating a culture of cyber awareness is about transforming employees from potential vulnerabilities into active defenders. However, this doesn't happen overnight or during a single training session - it's a continuous process which must be evolved in line with changing risks. It also must start from the top down, and business leaders should set the example for the rest of the organisation and demonstrate their commitment by actively driving increased cyber awareness. Communication is key and when it comes to an organisation's security policies, it's crucial to explain the "why" behind the "what". Demonstrating the real-world impacts will help to cement the vital importance of adhering to security protocols.
Knowledge is power
This is where cybersecurity awareness training comes in. The threat landscape is constantly changing, and employees must be kept up to date on emerging threats and best practices. It's a good idea to run regular penetration tests - simulated phishing attacks - to assess vigilance and identify vulnerability gaps in your defences. Businesses should take the time to develop and enforce clear, concise cybersecurity policies that are based on their individual needs and easy to follow.
The final step is to have an incident response plan in place and ensure that employees know what to do - and how fast they need to do it - in the event of a cyber incident. Perhaps most importantly, employees need to be encouraged to report potential breaches or suspicious activity without fear of repercussions. Malware can go undetected within systems for significant periods of time, so it's crucial to get out in front of any potential threats. Fostering a culture of shared responsibility will ensure that employees feel supported and empowered.
Tools of the trade
The right toolkit will enable an organisation to create a powerful line of defence against cyber threats. Solutions might even need to be tailored to different roles or departments, depending on the specific threats they are likely to face.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) makes it harder for malicious actors to gain access to your systems as it requires several steps to verify the user's identity. Password managers, meanwhile, can securely store login details for company accounts and even suggest strong, unique passwords. And, while it may seem simple, ensuring that all devices and software are regularly updated and patched will go a long way to protecting your business against emerging risks.
In addition, compliance with new and changing cybersecurity regulations such as NIS2 is becoming necessary for a growing number of businesses. Non-compliance can not only leave your organisation vulnerable to cyber threats, but can also have financial ramifications and create lasting reputational damage.
Effective cybersecurity goes beyond ensuring that systems are protected. It can also boost employee engagement, enhance customer trust, and increase productivity and efficiency within the business. Cybersecurity is constantly evolving and we will see a continuous flow of new threats to be grappled with - underscoring the importance of a security-first mindset for businesses. Ultimately, building a strong cybersecurity culture is all about the journey - not the destination.
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Gigi Supplements, TrakPro and Cyber Cert Labs have been named as Dublin regional winners at this year's InterTradeIreland Seedcorn Investor Readiness Competition.
The three categories included Business-to-Business, Business-to-Consumer and Deep Tech.
TrakPro won in the B2B category, Gigi Supplements won in the B2C category, while Cyber Cert Labs won in the Deep Tech category. Each company received €50,000 and will advance to the All-Island final in Dublin on November 13th.
The InterTradeIreland Seedcorn Investor Readiness Competition is the largest business competition of its kind on the island of Ireland, offering a total prize fund of €800,000 to promising start-ups and early-stage businesses. The Seedcorn competition offers start-up businesses the chance to win big without giving away an equity stake.
B2B Category
TrakPro is a B2B SaaS platform that streamlines subcontractor payment claims and commercial account management for the construction industry. The platform provides a centralised solution that automates compliance with payment legislation, integrates with construction ERP systems, and increases commercial team efficiency by 25%.
Colm Brennan, CEO and Co-Founder of TrakPro, said:
"We're absolutely delighted to have won the B2B category in the Dublin regional final of the InterTradeIreland Seedcorn competition. While I had the privilege of pitching, this achievement is truly a reflection of the entire TrakPro team's hard work, dedication and belief in our vision. The insights and guidance provided throughout the competition have been incredibly valuable as we prepare to embark on our pre-seed investment round."

Pictured are Alison Currie, Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at InterTradeIreland, with Colm Brennan, CEO of Trak Pro
B2C Category
Gigi Supplements was founded by two registered Nutritional Therapists who specialise in female health. Together, they have a combined 12 years of experience working with clients in the nutrition space. They are passionate about empowering women to live happy and symptom-free at every stage of their reproductive lives and know just how impactful the right nutrients can be for female hormonal health.
Jennie Haire, Co-Founder & CEO of Gigi Supplements, said:
"Winning the InterTradeIreland Seedcorn regional finals means the world to us, and the incredible prize for the company is just the cherry on top. What started back in 2023 as a learning journey, where we reached the second round of the competition, to finally taking home the win today, is just the most incredible feeling. This has been the ultimate lesson in persistence. It's a competition like no other, and we've learned so much from it. We're proud and very grateful to have taken home this prize today. Third time lucky!"
Deep Tech Category
Cyber Cert Labs' mission is to revolutionise the way organisations approach cybersecurity by addressing end-to-end supply chain vulnerabilities. They develop software for digital product manufacturers, enabling them to embed cybersecurity into their development lifecycle. Their solutions also support businesses that purchase these products (e.g., IoT, OT, and software), ensuring secure operation as defined by the manufacturer.
Patricia Shields, CEO & Co-Founder of Cyber Cert Labs, said:
"We are so proud to be winners of the Dublin regional final in the Deep Tech category of the Seedcorn competition. It has been a wonderful experience and genuinely great preparation for Cyber Cert Labs as we go forward.. A massive thank you to InterTradeIreland for hosting the competition."
All companies emerged victorious from a group of six innovative start-ups and early-stage businesses representing Dublin. They also included Harcourt Building Technologies, Polliknow and A Slice of Life.
The regional final, held on October 22nd in Dublin, saw the finalists pitch their investment proposals to a panel of judges, including active investors. The Dublin regional winners will now compete for the ov...

IrishJobs has today published new data from its Hiring Trends Update, revealing that nearly 1 in 4 employers expect to increase hiring in 2026.
The IrishJobs Hiring Trends Update is a new biannual research report on the state of the recruitment market in Ireland. The research gathered insights from 500 employers and 1,000 professionals in Ireland on the evolving hiring landscape and shifting attitudes and actions across the market.
The research also includes data from OTT, an in-house tool developed by the Stepstone Group, the parent company of IrishJobs, which analyses online data on job postings and associated information.
In-demand skills
As employers continue to navigate a highly competitive market for demand, sourcing candidates with in-demand skills is a top challenge. Nearly 7 in 10 employers (69%) report struggling to recruit talent with the right skills. Technical skills, such as programming, data analysis and AI competencies, are the most highly sought-after skills by employers. 30% of employers are prioritising the recruitment of talent with technical skills.
28% of employers are looking to hire candidates with soft skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, and communication. 25% of employers say that recruiting candidates with leadership and people management skills is a top priority.
Pace of hiring
The tight talent landscape is impacting the length of time to successful hiring. The median time for successful hiring is 10 weeks, as employers continue to face challenges in sourcing the right candidates for key positions.
Findings show that recruiters are increasingly using AI tools and automation to reduce administrative burdens and streamline the hiring process. Nearly half of employers (47%) surveyed are using AI to draft job adverts. 35% of employers are using AI tools to help schedule interviews with job candidates.
Hiring landscape
There is a positive hiring outlook for 2026, with nearly 1 in 4 employers (24%) in Ireland planning on increasing recruitment over the next six months, indicating growing confidence among employers following a period of heightened geopolitical and trade volatility. Large enterprises have the most positive outlook on future hiring, with 27% of these firms expected to increase recruitment over the coming months.
Findings show that smaller firms are more cautious on potential growth, with 21% of SMEs forecasting an increase in hiring in 2026. 21% of employers plan on increasing spending on hiring for more specialist roles, while 19% expect to increase hiring for temporary roles and contractors.
33% of employers surveyed have increased their levels of recruitment since April 2025, according to the report findings. Large businesses were the most active in recruitment, with 35% of these firms hiring more staff over this period. Findings show that 31% of SMEs have increased hiring since April 2025. However, there are also signs of cooling in certain areas of the labour market. 24% of employers reported restructuring certain teams or departments within their organisation over the previous six months.
Increased jobseeker activity ahead
Despite elevated uncertainty, jobseeker activity has remained robust across the labour market, with 21% of candidates actively looking for a new job in September 2025. However, there are signs that greater stability may lead to increased activity in the months ahead. Findings show that 29% of candidates plan to look for a new job in 2026.
Salary is the top factor candidates consider when evaluating a new job and employer. Work-life balance is the second most important factor, with 31% of candidates considering it important when considering a new job.
There are also signs that international volatility is having a growing impact on the selection of employers by candidates, with 29% of candidates ranking job security as a crucial factor influencing selection. Flexibility is increasingly a baseline expectation for many job candidates. 71% of candidates woul...

Munster Technological University (MTU) has become the first Irish institution to take a direct role in the world's largest scientific experiment at CERN - the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, as part of a global effort to uncover the fundamental secrets of the universe.
The Government of Ireland confirmed that the country has become an Associate Member of CERN, with MTU now playing a leading role in the world's most powerful scientific machine, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Last year,
MTU became Ireland's first Technical Associate Institute to join the ATLAS Collaboration, one of the LHC's flagship experiments that helped discover the Higgs boson particle in 2012. Of the 246 organisations worldwide analysing CERN-ATLAS data, only 17 are Technical Associate Institutes, placing MTU among a select group of institutes worldwide.
MTU's contribution to CERN is focused on engineering critical systems for the ATLAS detector as it prepares for the upcoming "High-Luminosity" phase of the LHC. Senior Researcher Dr Manuel Caballero, MTU, and his team are building and testing the electrical panels and cables that will deliver power to the upgraded detectors, where every component must function to avoid disrupting experiments involving scientists across the world.

The first batch of patch panels was successfully delivered to CERN after stringent testing. These play a crucial role in routing data. Once installed, they cannot be easily accessed. Reliability and performance testing are therefore crucial.
While lecturer Paddy McGowan and his team at MTU are designing the delicate mechanical supports that will hold thousands of sensors, along with the cooling pipes and cables, all operating under extreme conditions deep underground. MTU is also contributing to the design of the core cooling system for these detectors.
Dr Niall Smith, Head of Research and CERN-ATLAS lead, MTU, who emphasises that this work is about more than engineering, said: "This is about giving Irish staff, students, and industry the chance to be part of one of humanity's greatest scientific quests." Dr. Seán McSweeney, Dean of Engineering, serves as the deputy lead, with support from the Nimbus Research Centre and the Department of Mechanical, Manufacturing and Biomedical Engineering.
ATLAS Spokesperson and CERN physicist Andreas Hoecker has said, "We are thrilled to welcome Munster Technological University to the international ATLAS Collaboration at CERN's Large Hadron Collider. MTU's innovative engineering expertise will be a tremendous asset as we prepare for the high-luminosity phase of the LHC. MTU is the first Irish research institution to join ATLAS, marking an exciting milestone."
Through this work, Irish engineers and researchers at MTU are helping build the tools that may one day explain dark matter, the origins of the universe, and why it exists. MTU's involvement is inspiring the next generation of Irish scientists and engineers to dream bigger than ever before. To know more, please visit: https://home.cern/.

Climb Channel Solutions Ireland, the specialist technology distributor, has announced survey findings which reveal that more than a quarter (28%) of AI/IT decision-makers in Ireland think AI will create jobs for their company
The research - conducted by Censuswide and involving 600 AI/IT decision-makers in large companies across Ireland, the UK and Germany - found that respondents in Ireland were the most positive about the impact of AI on their workplace (45%). In comparison, UK decision-makers were less positive (34%), with those in Germany even less so (26%).
Despite some caution across markets, more than half (56%) of all respondents would trust an AI agent to make routine decisions on their behalf at work. A similar proportion (53%) feel comfortable using generative AI in their role. Some 45% took this even further and said they could not do their job without AI.
That might explain why 55% of AI/IT decision-makers have increased their own use of AI in the workplace over the last 12 months. It might also explain why the same proportion (55%) report that their organisation is planning to scale current AI initiatives.
The study found that investment in AI is also on the rise, with some 52% of companies set to spend more this year compared to last. Positively, 55% of AI/IT decision-makers think their organisation has already gotten a return on investment with their AI spend.
However, it is not necessarily all about getting a return as 54% of respondents in Ireland revealed that employees in their company are encouraged to experiment with AI tools for activities such as prototyping, testing and ideation.
Brian Davis, VP of Sales for the UK & Ireland, Climb Channel Solutions Ireland, said: "It's clear that there is plenty of enthusiasm and positivity around the potential and impact of AI - particularly in Ireland, where experimentation with AI tools looks to be high on the agenda. Given that people see it as an enabler when it comes to doing their jobs and creating employment opportunities, it's no wonder that organisations are upping the AI ante.
"What remains to be seen however is the value that increased usage and investment will deliver, especially in the long-term. While companies can't look into the future and strategies need to remain agile, they can ensure that they are implementing policies and engaging partners today to support effective AI implementation and drive business success moving forward."
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New Deloitte research across 15 countries shows that Ireland is emerging as a major AI investment hub, ranking number one for AI strategy integration in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
Deloitte's latest survey reflects the perspectives of nearly 2,000 C-suite executives when it comes to AI adoption.
The findings, which include perspectives from 105 senior leaders of large enterprises in Ireland, show that Ireland is punching above its weight in AI leadership, with one in four Irish firms now having a Chief AI officer. This is compared to one in five (19%) in the 15 EMEA countries surveyed. Ireland is the second highest in this regard, only behind Belgium (29%).
The data also signals that Ireland is showing leadership in formalising AI governance and accountability, with four in five (81%) companies integrating AI into their corporate vision, the highest number of the 15 countries surveyed.
AI investment in Ireland is both sustained and accelerating, with nearly half (46%) of Irish companies seeing a return within two years on their most successful use case, and more than half (52%) have seen an ROI of greater than 41%.
Over the next 12 months, 91% of organisations in Ireland plan to increase financial investment in AI, with 27% saying it will increase significantly or drastically.
87% have already increased AI spending in the last year.
Organisations favour a hybrid investment approach - 38% plan to buy more tools, 33% plan to build more, while 28% will do a mix of both.
"What we are seeing is that Ireland is emerging as a true leader in AI value realisation," points out Ita Langton, Head of Technology and Transformation at Deloitte Ireland. "This is being driven by C-Suite leadership in Ireland, with 30% of AI use cases being identified by this group. This is one of the highest in Europe following the UK (36%), Belgium (33%) and Germany (32%).
"With nearly half of organisations already reporting returns within two years from their most successful AI use case, it means investment is no longer speculative, it's delivering real business impact and reinforces Ireland's position at the forefront of AI maturity across EMEA. At Deloitte, we're seeing Irish clients move from exploration to execution, making sure innovation happens responsibly and at scale."
Other findings include:
Over half (51%) of organisations are investing 11%-20% of their total technology budget in AI initiatives, 28% are spending over 21% of their budget.
Nearly half (49%) say AI initiatives have created revenue growth opportunities, and a similar number (46%) have made a return on investment on their most successful AI use case in two years or less.
More than one-third (35%) say between 6% and 10% of their total revenue is attributable to the successful implementation of AI. This rises to 53% in financial services.
While 23% overall attribute a higher 26%-50% of their revenues to AI use, this rises to 33% and 38% in the consumer and energy, resources and industrial sectors, respectively.

A new report commissioned by Scale Ireland and undertaken by labour market experts, David Collings, Professor of Sustainable Business at Trinity Business School, and Dr. Shirley Kavanagh, an executive adviser and consultant specialising in talent management, workforce development, and organisational strategy has found that Ireland faces a considerable challenge to meet the future skills needs of its indigenous IT sector.
How to Future Proof Ireland's Talent Supply
Scale Ireland is the not-for-profit, independent representative organisation for Irish tech start-up and scaling companies. It is the biggest representative organisation for the sector with 800 members.
The report which it commissioned found that notwithstanding that Ireland performs creditably in international skills comparisons surveys, we face a serious challenge to meet the skills demands of a growing tech sector.
Key points raised include:
Ireland performs well in producing ICT graduates, but current supply models suggest that supply will be insufficient to meet future demand.
Reskilling and upskilling of employees is likely to be critical. As skills evolve some skills will reduce in importance while others will emerge or become more valuable. Organisations must invest in continuous learning, upskilling and reskilling to meet emerging skills needs. A key risk is that SMEs including indigenous tech start-ups and scaling companies are less likely to have a talent development strategy in place.
It is unlikely that third level institutions alone will provide sufficient supply to meet the growing skills demands of the ICT sector. We recommend a greater focus on other routes to entry to the labour market such as apprenticeships.
The sector (indigenous and multinational) is already highly reliant on migrant labour with as much as 40% of employment in the sector already undertaken by non-Irish labour. The authors point to the importance of targeted global messaging about employment opportunities and the importance of an efficient employment permit system. Barriers to international migration include high personal tax rates, cost of living, personal safety, and infrastructure, particularly housing and transport.
The overall ICT sector (indigenous and multinational) may require as many as 89,590 new positions by 2030. The skills profile will be impacted by additional demand for AI and machine learning skills, network, cybersecurity and technological literacy. In calculating these growth figures, and noting the potential that some work will be automated by AI potentially reducing employment, the authors assume that any efficiencies will be supplemented by higher growth in the medium term. Indeed, while we have witnessed some disruption in the labour market with some job reductions attributed to improved productivity in the context of AI, in line with broader reports and historical trends, the analysis in the report assumes this will level out in the relatively short term.
The report also suggests that attracting critical talent may pose a greater challenge to start-up and scaling companies that often lack the human resources capacity of larger firms. Sectoral level initiatives will be critical to upskilling, and bodies such as Skillnet Ireland and SOLAS are likely to play a key role in this regard.
It also calls for additional inward diversity paths for the sector. Notwithstanding indicators of a strong commitment to inclusion and the empowerment of women, female employment in ICT remains relatively low.
Ultimately, the report states that Ireland will be competing against other jurisdictions for skills talent and we must engage proactively to address this challenge.
See more breaking stories here.