New partnership to benefit Mayo island's healthcare access
New research from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), commissioned by Cisco, finds that a more inclusive digital economy that connects everyone in Ireland, equips them with digital skills and digitises key industries and public services, has the potential to add €28 billion to the Irish economy by 2030.
“We're one of the most connected nations, yet the opportunity that presents isn’t felt by everyone. The last few years have brought the impact of digital exclusion into focus.
"Whether socially, economically or in our ability to access digitally skilled talent as employers,” commented Shane Heraty, managing director, Cisco Ireland & Scotland.
“From healthcare to education and how technology can improve the sustainability of industry or regions, we’re committed to helping ensure that everyone in Ireland has access to the benefits that the digital economy brings.
"That is why we are delighted to be expanding our programmes in Ireland, most notably by partnering with the Western Development Commission.
This partnership will complement the important work already being done to connect rural communities to high-speed fibre broadband under the National Broadband Plan.”
Aligned to help accelerate Ireland’s digital ambition towards this opportunity, Cisco has today announced the expansion of its Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) programme which will see investment in partnerships, projects and initiatives focused on creating opportunity across the country including a newly announced partnership with the Western Development Commission.
As part of the CDA programme, Cisco and the Western Development Commission (WDC) will explore opportunities for the digitisation of the West of Ireland, including strengthening rural connectivity and mobility across the region.
The first phase of the partnership includes three distinct projects in healthcare, rural development and the future of work:
* A pilot research programme to transform Clare Island, County Mayo, into an exemplar of virtual healthcare in Ireland is already underway.
Cisco and the WDC are working alongside the Science Foundation of Ireland, NUIG and the HSE to construct a state-of-the-art ‘living lab’ which will include a virtual health consultation room which will ensure that the inhabitants of Clare Island have the same access to healthcare as anyone else in Ireland.
* Famous for being a tricky town to navigate, where motorists are challenged when it comes to finding available parking, the objective of the Ennis project is to create a ‘smart’ town with intelligence to enable better management of traffic in the town centre, to reduce CO2 emissions from cars, increase shopper footfall, and deliver improved visitor experiences.
* The WDC will use Cisco technology to enhance its existing Hubs network, providing a valuable solution for employers and employees seeking to adopt more flexible, hybrid work approaches.
Commenting on the partnership, Tomás Ó Síocháin, CEO at Western Development Commission, stated: “The WDC’s mission is to work collaboratively to mitigate and overcome challenges at a regional level to ensure vibrant, connected communities throughout the West of Ireland.
"Working with the experts at Cisco to close the digital divide in the region will help us do just that. I look forward to seeing the life changing impact of this collaboration on communities throughout the region.”