Making the smart economy real (Department of Communications, Energy & Natural Resources)
View the Technology Action Report - DCENR
Government announces new strategy for digital and clean technology in Ireland targeting 30,000 jobs in the next decade
- over 300 jobs announced today in Irish company InTune for exemplar smart network
“We need to stimulate as well as save” – Minister Ryan
Energy and Communications Minister Eamon Ryan TD and Minister of State responsible for the Information Society Conor Lenihan TD today launched “Technology Actions to Support the Smart Economy” in Government Buildings.
This is a strategy aiming to position Ireland at the forefront of the digital and clean technology revolution; creating the investment and jobs of the future. With 6 new and innovative plans for Government action and infrastructure development, the report identifies 30,000 jobs as a baseline target for achievement over the next 5-10 years.
Coupled with investment and continued progress in broadband delivery, this strategy plans to secure competitive advantage for Ireland in the high-tech/clean-tech area by positioning ourselves as early movers. The digital revolution and its convergence with energy efficiency represent a new wave of economic and social activity, which can provide the jobs and investment of the future.
The plan includes the building of a new communications network, the establishment of energy efficient data centres in Ireland, a new International Content Services Centre (ICSC) to be located in Ireland, smart electricity networks, a new application to reduce commuting times and allow for home-working and a plan to establish a marine testing centre in Galway Bay.
The 6 Actions are as follows
1) Building an Exemplar Smart Communications Network
Network (IP) traffic is doubling every 2 years, creating bottlenecks across the network. An Irish company, InTune, has developed an innovative technological solution to the problem – Optical Burst Packet Switching. InTune hold the worldwide patent for this new technology and are already supplying MIT, the European Space Agency, NASA and the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
Today, the Ministers announced that InTune will be creating over 300 jobs in the next 3 years as they lead the Government’s plan to build Ireland’s Exemplar Smart Network using their technology.
It is estimated that from this move 5,000 direct jobs and a further 5,000 indirect jobs will be created over a 5-10 year period
2) Energy-efficient Data Centres and Cloud Computing
The Government is planning to position Ireland as a centre for Green Data Centres i.e. reducing the cost of data centres by reducing the amount of energy they use.
Cloud computing is a method of storing data remotely, thereby lowering server and energy costs. EMC’s data centre in Cork supports 1700 jobs. This success with new energy efficiency technology can be replicated across the country.
Choosing to prioritise the development of these centres across Ireland will create 10,000 high value jobs over the next 5-10 years.
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