Written answers

Thursday, 26 April 2012

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation

Industrial Development

8:00 pm

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 49: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will report on the recent new €1.2 million funding programme for the cloud computing sector; the projected jobs and economic benefit to the Irish economy of the cloud computing sector of the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20814/12]

Photo of Seán SherlockSeán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Cloud computing is a key target sector identified in the Action Plan for Jobs as offering major potential for Ireland, and establishing a Cloud Computing Technology Research Centre is one of the actions contained in the plan aimed at realising this potential.

Earlier this month, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD announced details of a €1.2million initial research programme in the Cloud Computing Technology Research Centre, aimed at helping to make Ireland a world leader in this fast-growing area, and at making a significant contribution to jobs and economic growth. The funding will be allocated over 12 months to a consortium of Higher Education Institutions (DCU, UCC & AIT with input from NUIM) to carry out the initial research programme of the Centre.

This initiative involves collaboration between Enterprise Ireland and IDA and is led and strongly supported by Irish companies and multinational companies in Ireland. The research will focus on cloud computing technology architecture, service management, business research and cloud security. This initial research programme will last 12 months and is a significant step in the context of a Government funded 5 year investment in a Technology Centre for Cloud Computing.

A recent study by Goodbody Economic consultants projects that cloud computing sales by Irish firms could reach €9.5 billion per annum by 2014 and provide jobs for 8,600 people as current information technology activities migrate to the Cloud. In addition, new services and markets will also emerge as a result of the Cloud, creating additional opportunities for Irish firms.

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