Tag: city

Ookla partners with Dublin City Council to tackle telecoms deficits in the city

Today, Ookla, a global leader in connectivity intelligence, announces its partnership with Dublin City Council and the City Telecoms Association to identify and tackle telecoms deficits in Dublin. This first-of-its-kind initiative, fueled by Ookla’s Speedtest Insights®, offers a practical blueprint for l cities across Europe to drive digital inclusion and optimise network outcomes through actionable, data-driven insights.
The partnership demonstrates how a data-driven approach can enhance connectivity outcomes in a tangible way, empowering cities to better serve citizens. For the first time, the city is addressing connectivity gaps through targeted policy interventions, and fostering collaborative efforts with operators to attract investments that were previously hindered by site acquisition challenges.
You can find the full partnership case study here with more information about the five high-impact use cases created by Dublin City Council using Ookla’s network intelligence data.
Key points from the study:
  • Telecoms strategy and digital inclusion:  A proactive data-driven telecom strategy aimed at bridging digital divides, with significant analysis of how socio-economic factors affect connectivity outcomes, especially in areas with high social deprivation.
  • Identification of connectivity gaps: Ookla’s real-world data has enabled DCC to pinpoint key areas in Dublin with significant connectivity issues, influencing policy and planning to prioritise interventions where they are most needed.
  • Innovative use of city assets: Dublin’s approach to leveraging city-owned assets for telecom infrastructure, including facilitating multi-operator site access, represents a strategic move to optimise asset use and reduce urban clutter, aligned with EU regulatory goals​.
  • Transparency and public engagement: The Council has launched a public educational initiative on telecom infrastructure, including visualisations of before-and-after network improvements from new site deployments, to engage citizens and increase acceptance of new infrastructure.
  • Comparative benchmarking in Europe: Through Ookla’s data, Dublin has gained insights into its telecom performance relative to other European cities, highlighting areas of competitive strength in 5G availability and identifying room for improvement in 4G speeds​.
Key data and methodology:
  • The collaboration saw Ookla collect Speedtest® network data across the city over two 12-month periods (June 2022-June 2023 and June 2023-June 2024) with a sample size in the tens of millions; creating the most comprehensive analysis of mobile network performance ever conducted at the city level in Ireland.
  • Leveraging Ookla’s Speedtest® Insights platform, DCC were able to integrate other data sources, such as internal city asset registries, mobile site location maps from Ireland’s telecoms regulator ComReg, and social deprivation data from Pobal.
  • Geospatial analysis created a localised tile-based grid across the entire city to categorise mobile network performance at different times of the day. Performance was evaluated against two metrics; signal strength and download speed. Each location tile was categorised as unacceptable if it had less than 11 dBm signal strength and 5 Mbps download speed. Anything above 11 dBM and 5 Mbps was categorised as ‘acceptable’.

Dublin City Council Dublin Winter Lights announces the launch of a Video Mapping Competition

Dublin City Council Dublin Winter Lights is delighted to announce the launch of a Video Mapping competition for NCAD students in partnership with The Embassy of France in Ireland. Launched as part of the Digital Arts – Créativité & Innovation Tour in Ireland a workshop was hosted in NCAD and led by world-leading French digital artist Maxime Touroute, the competition aims to develop the medium of Video Mapping in Ireland.

Dublin City Council Dublin Winter Lights, in association with The Embassy of France in Ireland and NCAD will present a showcase of Video Mapping on Newcomen Bank, Dublin. All student competition entries will be projected onto the facade of one of Dublin’s finest Georgian buildings, Newcomen Bank, as part of the annual Dublin City Council Dublin Winter Lights festival in December. This will be a great opportunity for members of the public to see an array of video mapping artworks by emerging artists.

The prize for the winning entry is sponsored by The Embassy of France in Ireland. The winning entrant(s) will attend the IBSIC Video Mapping Conference and associated Video Mapping Festival in Lille France.

The partnership between Dublin City Council Dublin Winter Lights and The Embassy of France in Ireland fosters creative innovation and develops connections in the cultural and creative industries between Ireland and France.

Dublin Portal expands to include 2 cities in Poland and Lithuania

Dublin City Council is delighted to announce that 2 extra cities have been added to the Portal.

So now as well as connecting with New York, people on North Earl St will be able to see Vilnius in Lithuania and Lublin in Poland.

The livestreams will rotate every 180 seconds, beginning from today and forming a global network.

“The Portal in Dublin has attracted over 340,000 visitors since its launch in May and has brought a new lease of life to North Earl Street,” said the Lord Mayor of Dublin, James Geoghegan. “We are delighted to see the network of cities expand to Vilnius and Lublin and look forward to seeing more people enjoy the Portals experience.”

The Vilnius Portal is positioned adjacent to the city’s central station, and the Lublin Portal is located on the central city square, Litewski Square. “We are delighted today to welcome Dublin and New York – the next cities to join this unique project. We are excited that our Portal is growing in reach and popularity, opening up unlimited opportunities for communication and collaboration on an international scale. Thanks to the installation, we can now peek into New York’s Manhattan and Dublin’s city centre, share culture, experiences and initiate new projects together” said Beata Stepaniuk-Kuśmierzak, Deputy Mayor of the City of Lublin for Culture, Sport and Participation.

Having been at the centre of global media attention, Portals have emerged as iconic landmarks, generating billions of online impressions and attracting an average of 25,000 weekly visitors onsite in Dublin. On the Flatiron South Plaza in New York City, foot traffic surged by 47% over the 2023 monthly average.

Previously connected in pairs (NYC to Dublin, and Vilnius to Lublin) the sculptures have fostered diverse interactions across the cities, including vibrant dance competitions, cultural performances and successful marriage proposals. This next chapter of the Portals journey realizes the original mission of the project by evolving from two-city connections to a first-of-its-kind, global artwork that invites people from multiple countries to meet in a spirit of unity.

“We can discover how similar we all are through the use of portals, which connect us to a shared network that brings people from different places and cultures closer together. I hope that this idea, which originated in Lithuania, will continue to grow and connect the entire world, allowing people to better understand each other.” said Aušrinė Armonaitė, Minister of the Economy and Innovation of Lithuania

“We are thrilled to finally connect all four Portal sculptures together,” said Benediktas Gylys, founder and artist of portals.org. “The Portals mission is about building multiple Portals, which together form a global entity – a bridge to a united planet that invites people of distant cultures to meet above borders, differences and narratives. It took us eight years to arrive at this special day and we are grateful for the consistent support from our partners in Dublin, New York City, Vilnius, and Lublin. The current four Portals form the foundation of a network that will expand later this year, bringing Portals to even more countries around planet Earth.” 

Visitors to the Portals will be able to meet each other in real time across four different time zones and engage in this global artwork. The network rotation is active daily from 1pm to 8pm in Dublin/ 8am to 3pm in NYC/ 2pm to 9pm in Lublin / 3pm to 10pm in Vilnius. More Portal locations are being added to the network later this year.

Travel Sustainably This Bank Holiday Weekend with Too Good To Go’s NEW City Guide

This Bank Holiday Weekend thousands of Irish people will be swapping the umbrellas for beach towels, jetting off to sunny spots like Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy this August Bank Holiday and beyond.

While you’ve packed your travel and accommodation apps, don’t forget to download Too Good To Go – your ticket to sustainable travel through discovering and saving delicious surplus food at a reduced price.  With over 160,000 partners across the world the Too Good To Go new City Guides feature means you can explore local culinary gems wherever you go. Once you download the free Too Good To Go app, and it will notify you when you’re near these participating shops, restaurants, and supermarkets, in that location making it easy to save food and money on the go.

The new City Guides Series adds an extra layer to your experience by providing curated local food recommendations abroad not only are you supporting local businesses, but this feature helps you discover the heart and soul of a city through its food scene, all while making a positive impact on the environment and your travel budget.


Machaela O’Leary, Sales Manager for Too Good To Go commented: “At Too Good To Go, we believe every meal has a story worth savouring. Through City Guides and Too Good To Go we’re not just reducing waste but also supporting local businesses and protecting our planet. Whether you are in London, New York or Rome every city offers a unique culinary journey. We’re excited to help travellers discover these hidden gems while making a positive impact.”


Too Good To Go will continue to add city guides for destinations around the world. The Too Good To Go app has over 95 million registered users and is active in countries across Europe and North America. Too Good To Go users have already saved more than 330 million meals from going to waste, avoiding 891,000 tonnes of CO2e and 267 billion litres of unnecessary water use.

Too Good To Go has grown a strong presence in Ireland, with 2,182 businesses and 586,227 app users actively participating in reducing food waste. This extensive network, highlighted by the recent milestone of rescuing 1 million Surprise Bags, positions the company to significantly contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By mobilising collective action towards sustainable development, Too Good To Go is making a substantial impact in Ireland’s fight against food waste and environmental sustainability.

For more information about Too Good To Go, visit https://next.toogoodtogo.com/en-ie

Dublin City Council launches first ever Drone Strategy

Dublin City Council is delighted to announce that it has today launched its first Drone and Urban Air Mobility Strategy 2024-2029 for the city.

This ambitious and forward-thinking Strategy aims to transform how the city utilises drone technology to enhance public services while understanding their future potential.  Increasingly drones are being applied across a range of city services helping to increase service efficiencies, reduce costs and streamline operations. Areas where drones are being applied within the Council include mapping, dangerous buildings inspections or emergency response.   They are also being used to access to hard-to-reach areas for surveys and environmental monitoring, providing better oversight and management of urban spaces.

Eileen Quinlivan, Assistant Chief Executive and Chair of the DCC Drones High Level Steering Group of Dublin City Council, speaking from the launch at the DCC innovation hub in the CHQ building said:

“This strategy marks a significant milestone for Dublin City Council. By embracing drone technology, we are not only enhancing our service delivery but also paving the way for a smarter, more sustainable city. Drones will revolutionise how we approach various tasks, from emergency response and infrastructure inspections to environmental monitoring and urban planning. The benefits for our staff and citizens are immense, and we are committed to ensuring that Dublin remains at the forefront of this urban innovation.”

A new dedicated Drone Unit is being established in the Council to centralise drone operations and support internal departments to accelerate the adoption of the technology. This unit will build on existing capabilities and resources and maximise efficiencies across the Council. The unit will also play a role in supporting innovation in the drone industry by helping develop new services that benefit citizens and communities as the commercial sector grows.

Jim Gavin, Chief Operations Officer in the Irish Aviation Authority, express his support of the Strategy:

“The Irish Aviation Authority is very supportive of public sector bodies developing drone strategies. We are delighted to support this initiative by Dublin City Council to develop their drone strategy where they will drive innovation and development in the drone sector.

By harnessing the potential of drones, Dublin City Council is taking proactive steps to enhance public safety, improve efficiency, and foster economic growth. We believe that this initiative will pave the way for advancements in urban air mobility, benefiting both the public and the broader aviation industry.”

The development of the Drone and Urban Air Mobility Strategy for Dublin City Council has been led through the Smart City programme which supports the council in future-proofing how new and emerging technologies are applied. By fostering a vibrant drone technology ecosystem, Dublin has the potential to attract new businesses and drive economic growth, positioning itself as a leader in this emerging sector.

Julie Garland, Founder and CEO of Avtrain, who provided expertise and guidance on the Strategy emphasised the transformative potential of drones:

“Drones are revolutionising how we think about urban mobility and public service delivery. Dublin’s strategy is a step towards a future where drone technology can improve our daily lives, enhance safety, and contribute to a more sustainable environment. By integrating drones into various city services, cities can streamline operations, reduce response times in emergencies, and provide more efficient monitoring of infrastructure and environmental conditions.”

Philip Butterworth-Hayes, principal consultant of PMI Media Limited, who advised DCC on the Strategy provided an international perspective:

“Dublin’s approach to integrating drone technology into city services sets a new benchmark globally. The strategy’s focus on safety, efficiency, and public engagement is exemplary and will undoubtedly inspire other cities to follow suit. The efficiency gains from using drones for tasks such as infrastructure inspections, environmental monitoring, and emergency response are significant, leading to cost savings and more effective service delivery. The strategy’s commitment to public engagement means that the community is actively involved and informed, fostering trust and collaboration.”

This strategy has been developed through extensive consultation with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring that it aligns with Dublin’s unique needs and leverages the latest advancements in drone technology. The strategy also supports compliance with evolving European Union regulations and emphasizes public trust, safety, and privacy.

For more information and to discover the benefits of the Dublin City Council Drone and Urban Air Mobility Strategy 2024-2029, please visit: https://smartdublin.ie/dublin-city-drone-strategy  and see Drones

Evernorth Health Services chooses Galway City as the destination of Innovation Hub

Evernorth Health Services, the pharmacy, care and benefits solution division of global health company The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI), has chosen The City of Tribes as the location of a new innovation hub, creating 100 jobs over the next few years. Evernorth’s mission is focused on making the prediction, prevention, and treatment of illness and disease more accessible to millions of people.

Employees with Evernorth Ireland will be engaged in software strategy, architecture, and portfolio and product management of select technology products across The Cigna Group and its businesses. Evernorth will recruit top talent, from graduates to experienced technology professionals, across a range of roles in Ireland.

This project is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Dara Calleary TD said: “Ireland’s vibrant tech community, talent and expertise as well as our ease of access to cutting-edge research and leading third-level institutions offer real opportunity to business.  Investments such as the one today continue to advance Galway’s position, in particular, as a global technology hub. I am pleased to welcome this announcement and wish Evernorth Ireland every success.”

Luke Warren, Head of Evernorth Ireland, said:
“We selected Galway as a hub because we believe it will help us drive further innovation on behalf of all those we serve. We look forward to deepening our engagement with the Galway community and benefiting from new viewpoints as we deliver on our promises to our stakeholders.”

Michael Lohan, CEO at IDA Ireland, said: “IDA Ireland very much welcomes this announcement by Evernorth Health Services.  The company’s decision to locate here reflects Ireland’s reputation as a hub for innovation and technology talent.  We look forward to partnering with Evernorth and supporting the company as it establishes and grows its Irish operations.”

Evernorth Ireland has a temporary office at the Hibernian House in Eyre Square and is now recruiting for positions. To explore opportunities to join Evernorth’s Galway operations, visit – https://www.sigmarjobs.com/evernorthireland.

Dublin City Council and OpenAI Announce Partnership to Show the Potential of AI to Support Europe’s Tourism Industry

Dublin City Council and OpenAI are today announcing a partnership that leverages the power of artificial intelligence to support Europe’s tourism industry. This collaboration comes as Dublin proudly accepts the title of European Capital of Smart Tourism for 2024, underscoring the city’s commitment to innovation in tourism.

The partnership aims to set a new standard for smart tourism innovation across Europe, showcasing the potential of AI to enhance the visitor experience. Key initiatives include:

-Co-development of a Dublin Itinerary Planner Proof of Concept “A Day in Dublin”: Leveraging the advanced capabilities of GPT-4, this innovative tool will showcase how bespoke travel recommendations can make Dublin’s rich cultural heritage and vibrant city life more accessible to visitors. This prototype has been designed to show the potential of generative AI to support unique, bespoke experiences for visitors instead of generic to-do lists.

-Supporting Tourism Across Europe: A hands-on workshop will be held for leaders of smart tourism destinations across the EU this September in Dublin. This session will explore how AI can be utilised in various aspects of tourism, including city promotion, destination branding, tourism engagement, and itinerary planning.

Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithi De Roisti: “We are delighted to partner with OpenAI to support Dublin and European cities to realise the potential of AI to transform tourism experiences and offerings. Through our EU Capital of Smart Tourism Designation we also look forward to welcoming city destination leaders to Dublin in September for a unique AI and tourism mentoring workshop to support their innovation programmes”

OpenAI’s Vice President of Global Affairs, Anna Makanju:“OpenAI is excited to collaborate with the City of Dublin to support the future of tourism in Europe. Our advanced AI technologies, including GPT-4, have the potential to revolutionize how people explore and experience destinations. We look forward to working together to create innovative solutions that will benefit visitors and cities alike.“

The Dublin Itinerary Planner Proof of Concept is a collaboration between Dublin City Council, OpenAi and Data & Design, a local Dublin based data consultancy. It has been designed to show the potential and power of generative AI to create unique and bespoke experiences that move away from mainstream generic ‘things to do’ lists in cities!

Data & Design Founder Rudi O’ Reilly Meehan: “There is little doubt of the transformative power of OpenAI’s technologies such as GPT-4. This collaboration is about creating tools that harness this power to benefit visitors to Dublin – in this case, by providing tailor-made itineraries created using generative AI. I am delighted to be working with Dublin City Council and OpenAI in building this prototype, and the approach we are taking has significant scope for scaling across other cities and experiences.” 

This partnership marks a significant milestone in the integration of AI into the tourism industry, promising to deliver a more engaging and bespoke visitor experience. Dublin and OpenAI are committed to leading the way in smart tourism innovation, inspiring cities across Europe to explore the possibilities.

Minister Michael McGrath launches This City Works, marking the expansion of Google’s Local Employment Task Force

Minister Michael McGrath TD was joined by Adaire Fox-Martin, Head of Google Ireland in St Andrews Resource Centre, Pearse Street in Dublin to announce the launch of This City Works, a newly expanded programme that helps long-term unemployed people to find sustainable employment solutions.

The launch of This City Works represents the next stage in the evolution of Google’s Local Employment Task Force. Established in 2020 by Google’s Community Affairs team in collaboration with local community employment, training and education services, the Employment Task Force aims to find sustainable employment solutions for long-term unemployed people and provide them with training, education and development opportunities.

The task force is made up of a diverse coalition of community experts who are identifying ways to drive inclusive economic growth in Dublin. Members include St Andrews Resource Centre Employment and Training Hubs, Ringsend Community Services Forum, Inner City Renewal Group, The Anchorage Project, Ringsend & District Response to Drugs, Irish Nautical Trust, Department of Social protection, Dublin City Council, the Fair Play project, City of Dublin Education Training Board and Google Ireland. This year, the task force welcomed two new members; the Dublin Port Company and Dublin Waste to Energy. In recognition of the expanding partnership the Employment Task Force is today rebranding to the name – This City Works.

Attendees at the event had the opportunity to meet community representatives and participants in the current Employment Task Force as well as seeing a video showcase of programme case studies.

Speaking at the event, Michael McGrath TD, Minister for Finance said:

“The impact that has been made by Google’s Employment Task Force is truly commendable. This is a unique programme, one that has been driven by the local community for those who live there. I am delighted to officially announce the launch of This City Works today, representing the expansion of the Task Force. I want to thank Google and all of the expert partners for their continued commitment to this important work.”

Adaire Fox-Martin Head of Google Ireland said:

“I am proud to be here today as we expand the Employment Task Force and see it evolve to This City Works. Google has been part of the Ringsend and Pearse Street community for over 20 years now, and we remain committed to helping create meaningful, sustainable and long-term employment for members of our local community. Today’s announcement is testament to the positive impact that this programme has, and I want to commend those involved, our community partners, those in Government and most importantly our participants – it is a joy to recognise the potential and to celebrate the achievements of this group.”

Also announced today was the creation of a dedicated website for This City Works at this cityworks.withgoogle.com. Created by Google, the site is a one stop shop for job seekers and those seeking to enhance their skills or change career path. The site also provides information for businesses seeking staff or for those curious about training and support services in their community.

Blake Hodkinson Director of Further Education – City of Dublin Education Training Board and Employment task force representative, said,

“This City Works is an important initiative, one that brings together people, businesses and community groups to provide support like mentoring and skills training to local unemployed people. I am delighted to be here as we mark the expansion of the programme and would like to officially welcome our two newest members, the Dublin Port Company and Dublin Waste to Energy. This City Works is a fitting new name for this programme, the positive impact we see in the local community is remarkable, this initiative works!”

Created and enabled by Google, This City Works is an initiative that is driven by the local community and made up of Google representatives, community based training employment and education services, local businesses, Dublin City Council and the Department of Social Protection. Today’s announcement follows a commitment of over €500,000 by Google in 2021 at the launch of the Employment Task Force and a further €300,000 funding provided by Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google in 2022.

Dublin City wins the European Capital of Smart Tourism 2024

The European Commission has announced that Dublin City has won the Smart Tourism Capital Award designation for 2024.

The announcement was made today in Brussels.

“We are delighted that Dublin has been awarded the 2024 European Capital of Smart Tourism. This designation is a recognition of our commitment to deliver a greener, more accessible, inclusive and innovative Dublin, for both our visitors and locals. Our Smart Tourism programme, which was established in 2019 has been sharing, collaborating, and learning from some of the best cities in Europe and embedding this best practice in our own work through our new Tourism Strategy 2023-2023. We will proudly use this designation as a platform to deliver an innovative approach to tourism for Dublin.” – Richard Shakespeare, Chief Executive, Dublin City Council.

There were 30 candidates spanning 17 countries with six cities short-listed: Bremerhaven (Germany), Cork (Ireland), Dublin (Ireland), Genoa (Italy), Helsingborg (Sweden), and San Sebastián (Spain), all had their submissions evaluated by an expert judging panel. Following this competitive process, the judging panel recognised that Dublin has embedded best Smart Tourism practices from across Europe through its collaborations with other cities and the publication of its first five-year tourism strategy with a strong focus on innovation.

New experiences such as 14 Henrietta Street, EPIC the Irish Emigration Museum as well as digital innovations such as the Dublin Discovery Trails App separated Dublin from the other applicants. Dublin has also committed to sustainability by being the first Irish city to sign the Glasgow Declaration on Sustainable Tourism. Dublin also impressed the judges through its vision to become the world’s first autism friendly city by 2026.

“This city immersed in a rich tapestry of history, is a city full of culture and creativity. Now hailed for its commitment to sustainability and a strategic smart tourism vision and outstanding achievements, it has impressed the jury. Over the past year, this city has actively engaged people in decision-making, creating a destination that resonates with its people and embraces innovation at the same time. The city’s networking efforts with previous winners reflect a dedication to collaboration, leadership and innovation, and a beating European heart,” the European Commission judging panel said.

The new Dublin City Council Tourism Strategy 2023-2028 is due to be launched this Thursday 30th November 2023.