AGP Executive Report

AI & Governance: Fianna Fáil TD Naoise Ó Cearúil has replaced Malcolm Byrne as chair of the Oireachtas committee on artificial intelligence after Byrne’s arrest, with the committee also tied to an AI Bill on digital identity and misuse of face/voice/image. Research Funding: SETU will help deliver three new Rinn research centres as part of a €460m Research Ireland investment, aiming to turn national priorities into real-world impact. Industry & Chips: Analog Devices says Ireland will be at the centre of its AI growth, highlighting 2,000+ staff across Limerick, Dublin and Cork and its Raheen Catalyst work with partners. Health Tech: RCSI scientists have developed a “first of its kind” artificial heart valve, adding to Ireland’s medtech momentum. Transport Oversight: The Public Accounts Committee warns a €7m bill to store unused electric buses could keep rising as charging capacity gaps delay deployment. Digital Identity Abroad: Cameroon is rolling out student digital IDs for secondary schools via MTN Cameroon, linking records and services. Cybercrime Warning: Fraud experts warn of a summer surge in job scams targeting graduates via texts and chat apps.

Irish Research Funding: Ireland is set to launch seven new “Rinn” research centres in a €460m investment drive, aiming to create 577 research roles, support 800+ PhD graduates and pull in €500m more from industry and partners. Medical Tech Breakthrough: RCSI researchers have built a low-cost artificial mitral heart valve model that mimics the real valve’s complex mechanics, designed to speed up study of mitral regurgitation and future treatments. Health IT Push: The Irish Hospital Consultants Association is urging faster delivery of the national Electronic Health Record, warning the current fragmented system limits real-time access to patient data. AI in Networks: Nokia says it has added an agentic AI framework to its Network Services Platform so operators can run guided, explainable AI actions using a trusted view of their IP networks. Education & Equity: A UCD-led longitudinal study reports Irish children’s reading and maths worsened after Covid, with gaps widening for poorer, immigrant and Traveller pupils. Coastal Risk: A new report highlights coastal erosion as an urgent crisis, with some Dublin homes already facing rapid loss of land. Social Prescribing: The All-Ireland Social Prescribing Conference in Dundalk (11–12 June) brings North and South together to expand community-based support for wellbeing.

EU Digital Rules: Ireland will push in its EU Council presidency for an EU-wide “digital age of majority” decision, with privacy-preserving age checks as a key tool for protecting children online. AI & Water Stress: A UN report warns AI data centres could consume 9.3 trillion litres of water a year by 2030 and use electricity on a country-scale level, shifting the debate beyond carbon to water and land impacts. Data Centre Grid Stability: ABB launched a modular synchronous condenser package aimed at helping data centres stabilise voltage and frequency as AI demand surges. Health Payments in Epic: Bluefin and PAX extended secure patient payments across the expanding Epic ecosystem, targeting consistent payment security across medical and dental workflows. Irish Farming Tech: A Galway farmer says Genocells bulk tank SCC testing helps cut somatic cell count and guide culling decisions, pairing with regular milk recording. Climate Extremes: Copernicus says Europe’s early, intense heatwave shows extreme weather is becoming the norm, with May 2026 among the warmest on record. Music Rights vs Generative AI: Imro warns generative AI is an “existential threat” to Irish music creators, even as it reports record revenue. Online Safety After Belfast Riots: UK regulator Ofcom reminded platforms of legal duties under the Online Safety Act to assess and reduce risks from illegal hateful content.

Climate & Health: Copernicus says May 2026 was the second-hottest on record globally, with an unusually early, intense heatwave hitting Ireland and parts of Europe as El Niño odds rise. National Research Push: Ireland will invest €460m to create seven advanced tech research centres under a new national network (Rinn), spanning AI, advanced therapies, energy, medical devices, pharma and quantum/semi-conductors. Coastal Risk: A new report warns coastal erosion is an “urgent crisis” and calls for laws and funding for managed retreat, with thousands of properties and hundreds of kilometres of road flagged at risk. AI in Vehicles: Schaeffler and Sonatus partner to bring Edge AI into motion control for software-defined vehicles. Irish Rail IT Fallout: Irish Rail told an Oireachtas committee it wanted to terminate its delayed traffic management system contract with Indra, citing a lack of a deployable product after years. Biodiversity Tech: Cork’s Irish Bee Conservation Project is nominated for an MTU Innovation Award for a 3D-printable bee lodge to support solitary bees. Water Sector Governance: UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) restructures its governance to sharpen research, product development and sector collaboration. Workforce & Training: DAB Pumps donates pressurisation training equipment to South Devon College, backing hands-on plumbing education.

Disability & Rights: Minister Emer Higgins delivered Ireland’s national statement at the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities conference in New York, with Ireland also set to host events on disability in conflict and the role of assistive technology. Food & Farming Research: Teagasc says Ireland’s current land-based systems could meet annual protein needs for 20m people, rising to 35m when digestibility is factored in. Space: NASA named the crew for Artemis III, including US astronauts and Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano, with a docking test mission planned ahead of a 2028 moon landing. Health & Care: Mary Horgan has been reappointed interim chief medical officer after failed attempts to recruit permanently, while cardiac surgeries at CUH were cancelled due to a perfusionists’ strike over pay. AI & Policy: An Oireachtas committee heard calls to separate “good AI” from “bad AI” in data centre policy, citing major efficiency gains in weather forecasting. Energy & Climate: EirGrid data shows renewables hit 39% of electricity generation in May, with solar reaching new grid peaks. Tech & Payments: Lloyds is partnering with Stripe to modernise small-business payments via “Lloyds Accept,” and Payfuture teamed with ACE Money Transfer to improve cross-border payouts. Cybersecurity: ESET research finds firms worry about AI-powered malware but are still more exposed to everyday scams like phishing and unpatched software.

Data Centres & Power Crunch: Ireland’s Oireachtas AI committee hears data-centre growth could drive electricity demand up to 5.8GW by 2040, with centres already using 22% of national power and set to exceed 30% in five years. AI & Energy Debate: A separate report warns Europe’s grids weren’t built for today’s data-centre load, while Ukraine’s grid reforms could help plug supply gaps. Public Health & Policy: ESRI research finds the public is more likely to blame personal choices for obesity, while experts point to environmental factors—fueling a push for a new obesity policy action plan. Disability Services Review: A public consultation opens to shape the review of Ireland’s 20-year-old Disability Act 2005, with needs-assessment deadlines and UNCRPD alignment on the agenda. Tech & Retail in Ireland’s Orbit: WHSmith and SOLUM partner on electronic shelf labels for travel retail, starting at Heathrow, aiming for faster pricing updates and clearer shelf-edge info. Legal & Justice Tech: Irish legal researchers discuss how social science should inform sentencing, weighing vulnerability and rehabilitation in practice. Crime & Enforcement: Gardaí in Cork seize a cannabis grow house in Operation Tara, arresting a man and sending samples to Forensic Science Ireland.

EU Tech Sovereignty: The European Commission unveiled its EU Tech Sovereignty Package, aiming to cut reliance on non-EU tech via a Chips Act 2.0 push, a Cloud and AI Development Act, and new steps for open source and digitalisation in energy. AI & Energy: A UN report warns AI’s data-centre boom could drive huge electricity and water demand, with environmental impacts beyond carbon emissions. Ireland Data Centres: Ireland’s growing data-centre footprint is back in focus as debate intensifies over strain on the national grid and resource use. Health Tech/Pharma: Boehringer Ingelheim’s survodutide Phase III results report targeted visceral and liver fat reductions in obesity, with follow-on MASLD findings. Local Renewable Power: Oweninny Windfarm Visitor Centre in North Mayo opens to the public for the first time this summer, with free family-friendly access and interactive exhibits. Business IT: TCS signed a multiyear AI-powered transformation deal with Canada Life to modernise European IT infrastructure and services. Transport & Skills: Egis appointed Mike Birch as transportation director for the UK and Ireland, strengthening its transport delivery leadership. Food & Nutrition Policy: The UK Food and Drink Federation urged government to re-evaluate nutritional profiling plans, citing reformulation progress.

AI & Public Services: An Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn defended submitting thousands of parliamentary questions, with the Department of Health suggesting some may have been AI-generated—raising fears about doctors losing clinical time. Energy & Data Centres: A new report warns the EU is heading toward electricity rationing pressures as data centres surge, with Ireland flagged for unusually high power use. Business Costs: The Small Firms Association says Irish SMEs’ expenses jumped 44.4% over three years, driven by labour, energy, insurance and raw materials, and warns liquidity could run out for many soon. Agri-Tech: The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation reports 614,527 AI insemination serves in May, with totals down slightly versus last year as farmers adjust breeding timing. STEM in Schools: Microsoft Dream Space’s showcase in Tipperary highlights student-led STEM, coding and AI projects tackling food, housing and energy support. Enterprise IT: TCS signed a multi-year transformation deal with Canada Life to modernise European IT infrastructure, including data centres and end-user computing. Space/Robotics: A Dorset trial robot, Raggy, uses edge AI to target ragwort mechanically, aiming to cut chemical use while protecting livestock risk areas.

Canada–Ireland Tech & AI Links: Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to visit Ireland next week, meeting Taoiseach Micheál Martin in Dublin and then heading to Co Mayo for a “homecoming” with President Catherine Connolly, with talks also set to cover digital innovation, AI, pharmaceuticals, climate and agri-food ahead of the G7 in France. Biotech/Obesity Drug Update: Boehringer Ingelheim says its glucagon/GLP-1 dual agonist survodutide (via Phase III SYNCHRONIZE-1 and SYNCHRONIZE-MASLD) delivered targeted visceral fat and liver fat reductions in people living with obesity, while limiting lean mass loss in pre-specified analyses. Health Policy in Focus: Experts warn Ireland about rising use of tobacco-free nicotine pouches (“snus”), arguing they’re highly addictive and currently face fewer restrictions than other nicotine products. SME Hiring & Skills: A new EU-commissioned report finds Irish SMEs are more likely than peers to recruit non-EU staff, but many struggle with difficulty finding and integrating third-country workers. Data Centres & Energy Pressure: AWS has proposed a major data centre campus in Indiana, highlighting how power demand and grid impacts are becoming a central issue for tech infrastructure worldwide. Local Planning & Housing Delivery: Dublin’s housing shortfall is tied not just to supply but to planning capacity, with 2025 social housing build targets falling well below output and homelessness pressures continuing.

AI & Energy Debate: A new UN-linked discussion spotlights how data-centre power demand is being worsened by everyday habits in AI use, including claims that cutting “politeness” in prompts can materially reduce electricity use. Policy & Research Funding: A report argues Ireland’s merger of institutes of technology into technological universities has under-delivered on enrolment and research targets, with concerns about consultant spend and regional campus impact. Housing & Safety: A new account from Ireland’s housing crisis describes a foreign student facing sexual coercion from a sub-landlord, underlining how accommodation shortages can trap vulnerable tenants. AI Governance & Ethics: Pope Leo XIV’s call to “disarm” AI is set alongside Anthropic’s push for an AI development “pause,” as internal warnings about runaway risk keep resurfacing. Local Tech & Industry: Belfast AI specialist Syndeo lands a new deal with Ericsson’s cloud communications provider Vonage, pointing to continued growth in Ireland’s AI services ecosystem. Agritech Robotics: Trials begin for a robot that targets ragwort on farms, aiming to reduce chemical use and labour while improving land management.

AI Jobs Reskilling: Ireland’s AI minister says the State is launching a major programme to upskill 100,000 “white-collar” workers as Meta and Covalen job losses raise fears of an AI-driven shake-up. Local AI Adoption: At Monaghan’s AI Works for Ireland, Google Ireland MD Cera Ward urged SMEs to start small, experiment regularly, and tackle fear and skills gaps—while sharing practical AI use cases. Data Centres & Energy: A fresh debate over “Ireland Inc” and data centres spotlights how much power they consume and the need for a clearer energy roadmap. Marine Tech Funding: NovaUCD-based offshore construction designer Restore Blue is seeking €500k to help projects plan with nature in mind, aiming to reduce harm to marine life. Health Tech & Care: The 2 Johnnies donated €200k to children’s hospitals after their baby was treated at Children’s Health Ireland, backing extra support for patients and families. Planning & Infrastructure: Donegal County Council refused a battery storage plan near Letterkenny over a TEN-T access conflict, warning it could prejudice an €800m road project. AI in Business: An AI conference panel in Monaghan highlighted practical tools like an AI “virtual medical receptionist” built for appointment admin.

AI & Accountability: Trinity College Dublin’s Abeba Birhane says Anthropic’s call for a global pause in advanced AI is “misleading,” arguing Claude still needs human verification and that the autonomy claims are overstated. Work & Pay: The EU Pay Transparency Directive deadline is 7 June 2026, but many countries are lagging, raising fresh pressure on employers as the gender pay gap remains stubborn. Local Environment: Minister Dooley and IFI’s Dr Eamonn Kelly visited the River Glyde fish-kill in Co Louth, where investigations follow earlier EU science-based reviews after major incidents. Childcare Crunch: Cork Chamber’s report urges employer-supported childcare, fee caps tied to income, pay parity for early years educators, and more home-based options as businesses say the system isn’t fit for purpose. Irish Tech & Jobs: Belfast AI specialist Syndeo secured a new deal with Ericsson’s Vonage cloud communications provider, while Irish firms keep “doubling down” on the UK tech scene. Space Tech: Dublin’s Pilot Photonics won €1m from ESA to upgrade satellite tech. Digital Economy: Revenue data shows online betting turnover in Ireland topped €1.2bn in Q1, while traditional betting fell sharply.

AI & Markets: Oil slipped and European stocks were mixed as traders weighed Middle East tensions and fresh worries about AI spending after a gloomy Broadcom AI-chip forecast. Big Tech Finance: Meta is reportedly considering a new share sale to fund AI infrastructure, following Alphabet’s oversubscribed $18bn offering. Ireland Policy & Tech: Minister Niamh Smyth backed Pope Leo’s call to keep AI “human-centred” and said she hopes to invite him to Ireland’s AI policy discussions. Space Safety: NASA said an air-leak alert on the ISS led astronauts to shelter in a SpaceX Crew Dragon before the order was reversed. Irish Business Tech: Belfast AI firm Syndeo secured an Ericsson/Vonage deal to deploy AI agents for contact centres. Digital Connectivity: ViaTunisia’s subsea cable segment reached ready-for-service status, boosting resilient Europe–North Africa connectivity. Environment & Science: Louth’s River Glyde fish kill is linked to agricultural discharge; over 20,000 fish are estimated dead and a prosecution file is being prepared. Organic Agriculture: Ireland launched the National Organic Awards at Bloom, with 6,100 organic farms and businesses now operating.

AI & Economy: Anthropic is expanding in Singapore, hiring for regional accounting, product support and an economic research lead to build an “Economic Index” on AI’s impact on jobs and growth. Data Centres & Power: New reporting flags how AI data centres are straining grids and could push fossil-fuel dependence and higher bills, while Ireland’s policy debate is turning to balancing AI growth with energy demand. Policy & Governance: A Central Bank deputy governor says the 2008 crash’s effects are “persistent”, and separate analysis urges watching unemployment more closely than GDP swings. Tech & Industry: A legal tech co-founder secured €70m and plans to hire in Ireland, while a pharma logistics digitisation deal targets Irish Sea shipments. Environment & Health: Ireland-linked coverage includes a major fish-kill investigation in Co Louth tied to agricultural discharge, plus new discussion of GLP-1 side effects seen at higher doses. Space/Engineering: Pilot Photonics wins an ESA contract to advance space photonics. Business Moves: Evoke agreed to a £243m takeover by Bally’s Intralot, with Premier Lotteries as the Ireland tech supplier.

EU Tech & Policy: Google is rolling out digital IDs and age credentials via Google Wallet, with passport scans planned for EU states including Ireland, aiming for one-click age checks without sharing personal data. Energy & Infrastructure: The European Investment Bank is partnering with Ireland’s transport bodies and ZEVI to speed up a nationwide public EV charging network, targeting coverage “within reach of every community.” AI & Society: Cloudflare says bot traffic has overtaken humans, with 52–62% of daily internet traffic coming from bots and Ireland among the highest bot-traffic countries. Environment & Public Health: Inland Fisheries Ireland confirms agricultural discharge caused a major fish kill on the River Glyde in Co Louth, with over 20,000 fish estimated dead and samples sent for lab analysis ahead of possible prosecution. Irish Economy: Exchequer Returns show the deficit fell to €2.3bn in May as corporation tax, VAT and income tax receipts rose, including a 9.1% jump in corporation tax year-to-date. Research & Medicine: Althera Laboratories appoints Dr Arun Maseeh as VP Medical Affairs to strengthen its cardiovascular and metabolic pipeline across international markets. Safety & Rights: Ireland’s Dr Michelle Walsh has been elected to GREVIO, the Council of Europe monitoring body for the Istanbul Convention on violence against women and domestic violence.

Energy & Climate Policy: Ireland’s clean-energy targets still lack a concrete fossil-fuel phase-out plan, with energy security and cost-of-living pressures making the case for faster action. Data Centres & Public Impact: Erin Brockovich has launched a platform mapping US data-centre plans, spotlighting water and power strain as AI infrastructure booms. AI & Misinformation: A new AI “encyclopedia” stores hallucinated entries indefinitely—funny on the surface, but a warning about what happens when accuracy isn’t the goal. Biodiversity in Focus: Skerries’ community-led meadow work is helping a threatened bumblebee, showing how local habitat management can reverse declines. Irish Tech & Industry: Anthropic is advertising roles tied to Singapore expansion, with finance, product support and economic research—reporting to its Dublin office for at least one function. Life Sciences & Jobs: Galway recruitment firm Salt Medical wins a national diversity award and is hiring senior roles at its Claregalway HQ. Public Participation Science: The Great Big All-Ireland Hedgehog Count kicks off with Galway researchers inviting sightings nationwide via an online survey. Local Libraries Upgrade: Galway County Council is contracting for Ireland’s first modern mobile library vehicles, built on bus infrastructure with onboard IT and power.