AGP Executive Report

Rare Disease Access Fight: Ireland’s HSE has again declined reimbursement for Skyclarys (omaveloxolone) for Friedreich’s ataxia, despite EU approval—prompting a Dublin protest on Sunday at 12pm at the Garden of Remembrance. Data Centres Deal: Kingspan is set to acquire Meath-based BMC Manufacturing in a deal valued at up to €900m, boosting its integrated data-centre power and cooling capabilities. Energy & Weather Watch: Met Éireann is warning of potentially intense storms and heavy rainfall this autumn as El Niño signals strengthen, with experts calling it unusually strong. Smart Glasses Pushback: A new campaign, Stop Smart Glasses, is targeting camera-equipped AI eyewear sales in Ireland and the UK, citing covert recording concerns. Local Tech & Skills: Carlow County Council begins a €1.291m retrofit to cut energy use at its HQ, while six Carlow students head to WorldSkills Ireland’s national final at the RDS. Corporate Tax Transparency: New EU filings show Apple’s Irish operation accounted for about 39% of its global tax payments last year.

Broadband Boost: An independent Ookla report says Ireland’s National Broadband Plan has driven a huge jump in speeds, with median download rising from 11.60 Mbps (2019) to 156.99 Mbps by mid-2026, and the rural-urban gap narrowing from about 5:1 to 1.6:1. Big Tech Taxes: Apple’s first EU country-by-country disclosure under new transparency rules shows an exceptional €17.1bn income tax payment in Ireland for the year ending Sept 2025, tied to escrow releases after an EU state-aid case. AI Power & Water Backlash: A grassroots movement against AI data centre expansion has staged 142 coordinated protests across 42 US states, pushing demands for transparency, local environmental protection, and better local jobs. Public Transport Tech: Calls are growing for fixes to Dublin’s Luas after incidents left passengers trapped and dragged along platforms, highlighting how frontline tech and operations affect everyday safety. Health & Safety: Doctors warn against viral “Sudocrem face mask” trends, stressing that social media hacks can mislead people about what’s safe for skin.

Tax Transparency: Apple’s first EU country-by-country profit and tax disclosure shows it paid about US$17.1bn in income tax in Ireland for the year to Sept 2025, linked to escrow releases after an EU state-aid ruling and an ECJ decision. Rare Disease Funding Fight: Campaigners for Skyclarys (Friedrich’s ataxia) say Fianna Fáil TDs and Senators have pushed the Taoiseach to reimburse patients ahead of an HSE leadership decision on Aug 25; the HSE drugs group previously flagged cost-effectiveness and limited efficacy. Health Research in Ireland: TCD and UCD report a yeast beta-glucan supplement can reprogram immune cells in obese mice to boost anti-cancer responses, published in Cell Reports. Local Tech & Industry: Škoda Peaq pricing is confirmed in Ireland for a seven-seat electric flagship from €54,995, with up to 637km range. Skills & Training: WorldSkills Ireland returns to the RDS Simmonscourt (Sept 16-18) with four Mayo competitors set for national finals.

AI & Privacy in Ireland: Trinity College Dublin researchers say Android keyboard telemetry can still reveal sensitive interaction data, even with privacy settings—prompting one developer to build a custom keyboard to avoid closed-source tracking. Corporate Tax Watch: New reporting says Apple paid €17.1bn in Irish taxes last year, with a large chunk tied to a prior EU state-aid dispute—highlighting how retroactive rulings can distort “day-to-day” tax narratives. Tech Regulation & Enforcement: Dutch authorities fined Uber €825m under GDPR for automated driver suspension decisions, a reminder that algorithmic account controls face strict transparency rules. Climate & Biodiversity: An Irish review warns invasive mosquitoes may spread further as warming and travel increase risk, though no local transmission is currently detected. Local Tech & Education: Suade and PwC Ireland published a whitepaper on agentic AI for regulatory reporting, while RTÉ opened applications for the Late Late Toy Show—seeking kids to showcase toys, tech and books. Big Tech in Ireland: Mark Zuckerberg bought Strancally Castle in Waterford, adding another high-profile US tech estate purchase to Ireland’s headlines.

AI in finance: Suade and PwC Ireland have published a whitepaper on “agentic AI” for regulatory reporting, arguing banks need governed, interoperable data and human oversight before automating validation, exception handling and audit-ready outputs. Public transport safety: Ireland’s Railway Accident Investigation Unit is calling for anti-drag tech on Luas after four “trap-and-drag” incidents between April and June, including a teenage girl injured at Stillorgan when her coat was caught in closing doors. Health regulation: The HPRA has requested a recall of Tavneos (avacopan) in the Republic of Ireland after an EMA review, with distribution stopped from 11 August. Tech and policy: Apple has published its first country-by-country tax filing for Ireland, showing €14.6bn paid in tax for the period covered, tied to the EU-Apple tax case. Rare disease access: The HSE has declined reimbursement for Skyclarys for Friedrich’s ataxia, leaving families awaiting a final decision as campaigners push for funding. Industry and sport tech: TCS is named digital transformation partner for the European T20 Premier League, with six franchises including Ireland teams. Transport travel tech: Madrid’s Terminal 4 has rolled out new airport scanners so passengers can keep laptops and liquids in hand luggage at that main checkpoint. Local culture: Baltic Sea Docs is preparing its 30th edition in Riga, with 26 documentary projects selected across borders, war, memory and family themes.

Visas for Gaza students: UCD biomedical engineering student Mohammed says he risked his life in Gaza to apply, but more than half of 59 Palestinian scholarship recipients have been refused Irish entry visas, prompting calls for urgent Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan to review decisions. AI power crunch: A new look at data centres warns AI demand could sharply raise electricity use, reshaping energy planning and grid pressure. Alcohol tax pressure: Research from Dublin City University finds Ireland has the second-highest alcohol excise in Europe, with calls for a Budget cut to protect pubs. Medtech leadership move: Baxter has named John Rogers as its next CFO, with the role contingent on US visa/work-permit approval. Rare disease drug recall: Tavneos has been pulled from Irish distribution after deaths linked to the medicine in Japan, following EU regulatory action. Water quality alert: Cavan authorities warn against swimming after a cyanobacterial bloom in Lough Ramor, driven by nutrient runoff and rising temperatures. Data centre cooling patent fight: Two Irish patent-holding firms sue a Virginia data centre operator over alleged cooling-tech infringement. Higher-ed support: ATU will run a CAO Information Day across Letterkenny, Sligo and Galway City on 27 August for prospective students.

Energy & Grid Flexibility: Perigus Energy brought its 81MW Garreenleen solar farm in Co Carlow into full operation, boosting operational capacity on the island from 373MW to 454MW and exporting power to the Irish grid. AI & Public Trust: A CSO-backed OECD survey finds 56% of people in Ireland understand AI well enough to explain it, but trust concerns remain about how government agencies will deploy it. Venture Capital & Scale-Up Funding: Furthr VC’s Richard Watson becomes chair of the Irish Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, warning Irish tech is overly reliant on overseas investors and needs more domestic scale-up capital. Labour Market Snapshot: Ireland’s labour force is nearing 3m, with employment rising to 2.84m while unemployment edges up to 5.1%. Business & Deals: Matheson advised Scandi Standard on its planned acquisition of Glenhaven Foods, expected to complete in Q3 2026. Clean Energy Investment: Capital Dynamics acquired a 170MW long-duration BESS project in Knockanure, Co Kerry, targeting grid flexibility as renewables grow. Inclusive Hiring: New NOW Group research says only 8% of Irish employers feel very confident hiring neurodivergent people and people with disabilities.

Medical Innovation: Irish team at St James Hospital and Trinity College Dublin developed a device aimed at preventing ventilator-assisted pneumonia in ICU patients, targeting a major infection risk that affects up to a quarter of ventilated cases. Public Health & Regulation: Ireland’s HSE says high-risk synthetic cannabinoids are showing up in vapes and edibles, warning regulation and large-scale testing lag behind a fast-moving market. Climate & Oceans: New research links Europe’s marine heatwaves to climate change, with seas around Ireland and western Britain among the hottest, raising risks for marine life and coastal impacts. Energy & Data Centres: A new wave of AI data centres is reshaping electricity demand, with power-hungry growth pushing energy planning and public backlash into the spotlight. Biotech & Rare Disease: Andelyn Biosciences partnered with Queen’s University at Kingston to advance an AAV9 gene therapy candidate for GM2 gangliosidoses, using its AAV Curator platform. Marine Science: DNA from a wetsuit used with Fungie suggests the solitary dolphin had mixed ancestry, tying him to both Shannon Estuary and offshore bottlenose populations. Agritech: AFBI and DLF Seeds are teaming up to bring new forage grass genetics to UK and Irish farmers. AI in Networks: HPE’s self-driving network will power the University of Leeds’ campus digital transformation, aiming for adaptive, AI-native operations.

Alzheimer’s Care in Dublin: Re:Cognition Health has opened its first dedicated Alzheimer’s disease-modifying treatment clinic at Tallaght Cross East, giving eligible early-stage patients access in Ireland to Leqembi and Kisunla. AI-Ready Data for Irish Firms: A Co Down GIS specialist has partnered with Dublin-based DataBuilders and Esri Ireland to clean, connect and automate data so companies can use mapping, analytics and AI more effectively. Cybersecurity: The US has charged 17 members of Iran-linked Mabna Institute over a campaign of cyber intrusions targeting universities and organisations worldwide, including theft of academic data and IP. Climate Tech & Aviation: A North Atlantic trial will test whether small, AI-guided flightpath changes can cut aviation’s climate impact by reducing contrails, with work focused near the Shanwick airspace north-west of Ireland. Renewables in Ireland: Perigus Energy’s first Irish solar farm in Carlow (81MW) is now fully operational, exporting power to the Irish grid. Hospital Staffing Warning: Cork University Hospital’s CEO has written to the HSE raising patient safety risks tied to delays in filling funded posts ahead of winter. Electric Picnic Scam Alert: Bank of Ireland warns of a 28% rise in ticket scams and urges festival-goers to use official resale or transfer channels only.

Climate Science: New analysis says human-caused climate change is the main driver of record European sea temperatures, adding roughly 2°C of warming to the Mediterranean and pushing marine ecosystems and coastal communities toward major disruption. Local Energy Planning: Dublin’s council says it will consider an early pilot to plug Ringsend and Irishtown community facilities into the Dublin District Heating Project’s first phase, which would use heat from the Poolbeg waste incinerator. Transport Tech: A Dublin commuter has launched GoÉire as an alternative to the TFI Live public transport app, aiming to fix speed and reliability issues. AI & Health Policy: Biogen disputes HSE figures behind the non-reimbursement decision for Skyclarys for Friedreich’s ataxia, challenging the drug’s reported cost-effectiveness and clinical data limits. Sports Tech Consumer Apps: Spotify rolls out “Running Mode” and “User Notes/Playlist Notes” to help Android users match music to workout pace and add context to tracks. Irish Biotech & Food Tech: UCC spin-out FemmeBiome is seeking seed investment, while Oceanloop’s giant grouper farming push lands a €38.5m-backed investment via Hatch Blue. Cybersecurity: US prosecutors unsealed charges against 17 Iranian hackers accused of stealing research and intellectual property from universities and businesses.

Women in Tech Training: Matamba Film Labs is running a 12-week 2D animation programme for 20 Zimbabwean women, funded by the Embassy of Ireland in Pretoria, with skills in digital design, motion graphics, UI/UX and industry software plus mentorship and a capstone of five short films. AI TravelTech Expansion: LuggageToShip.com has expanded its AI-powered travel shipping service, letting customers compare carriers, book, pay, generate labels and track luggage door-to-door across 220+ countries and territories. Irish Digital Innovation Leadership: The Western Development Commission has appointed Teresa Hooks as Head of Connected Hubs and Digital Innovation, as the national hub network tops 400 and informs similar models across Europe. Health & People Ops in Pharma: Helus Pharma names Regina Donohue as Chief People Officer and Suresh Durgam, M.D., to its Scientific Advisory Board, supporting growth and potential commercialization planning. Road Safety Tech & Policy: The RSA opens nominations for the 2026 Leading Lights in Road Safety Awards, while An Garda Síochána seeks public input on a draft code for third-party live CCTV feeds. Marine Science & Conservation: Zoomarine Algarve documents the 48-day recovery of a leatherback turtle, Quinas, in a new scientific journal case study, and Whitby fishermen are using low-cost sensors on lobster pots to monitor local crab and lobster grounds. Local Impact: Clean Coasts’ Big Beach Clean returns in Mayo and nationwide, with registrations closing 7 September and kits sponsored by Kia Ireland.

AI in Healthcare: Researchers at the University of Southampton say an AI platform can spot previously invisible patterns in breast cancer tumours by analysing hundreds of thousands of centrosomes, helping predict progression and potentially support more personalised treatment. Payments for Irish SMEs: Elavon and Sage have renewed their partnership to simplify card payments for Sage customers across the UK and Ireland, aiming for smoother scaling as businesses grow. Data-centre power push (Ireland): Kildare gas turbine specialist OFS has secured a major private equity investment (above €70m, terms undisclosed) as demand rises with new data-centre builds. AI infrastructure efficiency: Trane Technologies and Eaton unveiled a reference design to speed up and cut costs for AI-factory power and cooling in next-generation data centres, targeting big reductions in copper use and installation effort. Policing tech and rights: An Garda Síochána has opened a public consultation on a draft code of practice for third-party live CCTV feeds, weighing crime-fighting value against human rights impacts. Energy policy pressure: Fuel sector leaders are urging the Dáil to pause a planned fuel excise increase, warning rural households could feel the hit hardest. Tech and delivery: Uber and Zipline plan to scale autonomous drone deliveries toward 1 million per day in the US by end-2029.

Data Centres & Energy Efficiency: Trane Technologies and Eaton unveiled a first-of-its-kind reference design for next-gen AI data centres, targeting up to 15% energy efficiency gains, up to 80% less copper use, and lower installation costs. Agrivoltaics Research: Teagasc opened a four-year PhD at Johnstown Castle (with DCU) to study how agrivoltaic solar affects biodiversity and soil health, using field surveys and sensor-based monitoring. AI in Workplaces: NROC Security reports only about 5% of employees are “effective” generative AI users, despite 31% actively using the tools—highlighting a skills and productivity gap. AI Governance in Ireland: A guest post flags Ireland’s AI Office launch and the EU AI Act’s push for AI literacy as organisations grapple with responsibility when AI outputs influence HR decisions. Public Sector/Tech Procurement: Commentary questions Ireland’s approach to buying Israeli tech, noting reported retention of Israeli flight systems in military helicopters due to practical substitutes. Digital Inclusion in Ireland & UK: Vue cinemas in the UK and Ireland are rolling out Auri™ Auracast assistive listening to improve access for more moviegoers. Crypto & Regulation: Analysis examines a MiCA “fungibility” gap for multi-issuer stablecoins and what it could mean for oversight across the EU. Human Rights & Climate Transition: Rights groups urge Tuvalu and Ireland to embed human rights into fossil-fuel phase-out policies with concrete accountability steps.

Climate Policy Drift: Ireland’s latest climate action messaging is losing momentum, with the Government’s retrofitting push and sector-by-sector emission ceilings falling behind legally binding targets—EPA reporting shows no sector is on track with just years left to 2030. Emissions Reality Check: Transport, electricity and other major sectors are missing their required cuts, despite earlier coalition plans setting out detailed reduction paths from 2018 baselines. Festival Drug Warning: The HSE is urging Electric Picnic-goers to beware high-potency MDMA “pink cocaine” and stronger tablets, after lab findings show potency has surged and new substances are appearing. Irish Tech & Research: Three Irish observatories—Birr, Armagh and Dunsink—are teaming up for a UNESCO World Heritage bid, aiming to protect and spotlight Ireland’s historic astronomy legacy. Public Health & Care: A new discussion on brain fog highlights it as a symptom with many possible causes, not a single diagnosis—pushing people to investigate underlying conditions. Community Funding: Clare County Council has opened a €25,000 hedge cutting grant to support roadside maintenance with biodiversity-friendly practice.

Agritech Research: Teagasc-backed PhD work led by Dr Garima Lakhanpal is spotlighting nitrogen-saving pasture tactics in Ireland, with restricted-duration grazing cutting nitrogen leaching by 40% and ammonia losses by 24%—results set for the Nitrogen Conference in Japan. Health & Policy: Sinn Féin is urging Taoiseach Micheál Martin to demand “full transparency” over the HSE Drugs Group’s decision not to recommend reimbursement for Skyclarys for Friedreich’s Ataxia, with a final funding call expected later this month. Public Safety: Gardaí are investigating a fatal head-on crash on the M9 in Co Kildare after a wrong-direction vehicle collided with another car, killing multiple people and seriously injuring a child. Drugs Enforcement: Two men were arrested in Galway after Garda raids seized €233,000 of cannabis, with samples headed to Forensic Science Ireland. AI & Data Practices: Irish and UK secondhand booksellers report bulk orders and shredding of old books for AI training data, echoing legal claims tied to Anthropic’s “Project Panama.” Climate & Food Security: Drought conditions are hitting Irish farms hard, with farmers facing rising feed costs and delayed silage cuts as heatwaves continue across Europe.

AI & Education: A new essay argues that banning talk of “enemies” distorts how students learn Jewish civilization, pushing schools to teach living culture and dissent instead of omission. Solar Eclipse Planning: A guide looks ahead to where Ireland viewers can realistically catch totality in coming years, noting Ireland’s next chance is far off and travel is the main route. Irish Tech & Research: A report says nearly 2,500 research spin-outs are employed across Ireland, highlighting the scale of the local innovation pipeline. Energy & Grid: Coverage flags that Ireland’s grid-scale solar hit a record peak (1,258MW) while broader analysis warns AI and data centres could strain power demand. Public Health & Drugs: The HSE warns festival-goers about “pink cocaine” and stronger MDMA/ketamine variants, urging harm-reduction awareness. Digital Heritage: Mayo’s Dún Chaocháin oral archive is being digitised for Heritage Week, preserving fragile analogue recordings for future research. Safety & Accountability: Greek authorities say an Irish teen’s death may have involved faulty shower wiring, with follow-up legal action possible.