Tag: #data

Irish businesses must do more to assure consumers on data and cyber security

Nearly one in four Irish people has had their personal data compromised, new research from eir business reveals, highlighting low levels of consumer confidence in how companies manage and protect customer information.

The survey on the security of Irish businesses also highlighted that almost half (44%) of Irish consumers do not feel informed about how their data is used by companies, while 40% are not confident their data is safe.

These results offer insights into the prevalence of cybercrime for everyday consumers, and the role Irish businesses can play in safeguarding data and alleviating customer concerns.

Alongside the survey, eir business (formerly eir evo) has revealed a new corporate identity, reflecting the evolution of the B2B telecoms and IT service provider.

The eir business/Amarách survey highlights concern about how businesses manage the security and transparency of vital personal information.

This vulnerability is reflected in the fact that only 16% of people are confident that Irish businesses are protecting their personal information. Older generations are even less likely to feel comfortable with the security of their online data, with 51% of 55–64-year-olds not trusting businesses to protect their information.

While artificial intelligence (AI) solutions are often suggested for data management, almost half (45%) of those surveyed are still unsure of what benefits AI might bring when dealing with business. However, the expectation of faster (30%) and cheaper (26%) service, alongside 24/7 availability (32%) as a result of AI business processes were highlighted.

Susan Brady, Managing Director of eir business: “Businesses across Ireland are operating in a time of rapid and complex digital change, and consumers are rightly asking for greater protection, greater transparency, and partners they can trust.

“This research highlights that expectation clearly. People want confidence that their data is safe, that companies are accountable, and that technology is being used responsibly. Meeting those expectations isn’t optional, it’s now a core requirement for every organisation.

“As we transform from eir evo to eir business, our focus is on bringing that clarity and confidence to the market. We’re here to give businesses secure, managed solutions they can rely on, supported by the scale, expertise and engineering depth that sits at the heart of this organisation. “Our mission is to make the complex feel effortless, to help organisations stay protected against emerging threats, and to empower them to grow and thrive in a digital-first Ireland.”

Oliver Loomes, CEO of eir, added: “The findings of this research send a clear message: customers want greater transparency, stronger protection of their data, and partners they can trust. As Ireland’s digital economy accelerates, businesses of every size are facing rising expectations and increasing complexity.

“Our rebrand to eir business reflects both the scale of this opportunity and our commitment to meeting these needs head‑on. By uniting the full strength of eir’s networks, technology and expertise, we are positioned to deliver the secure connectivity, cloud, and cybersecurity solutions that organisations rely on to operate with confidence. This is a pivotal moment in our evolution, one that strengthens Ireland’s digital resilience and supports our purpose to Connect for a Better Ireland.”

AI, Data and BEVs Power a New Model for European Long-Haul Transport

Scania Ventures, LOTS Group and JUNA Technologies, together with carrier HAWA, operate one of Europe’s longest electric truck routes, demonstrating that high utilisation, long-haul battery-electric transport is commercially viable already today.

By combining LOTS Group’s AI-based platform Pathfinder with JUNAS’s electrified vehicle solutions and Hawa’s operational logistics expertise, the partners are creating a scalable model for electrified long-distance logistics in Europe. The 1,250-kilometre corridor is already operating in daily commercial service across central Europe. The partnership prioritises operational quality and cost efficiency, demonstrating how intelligent planning, effective asset utilisation, and robust daily operational management can help customers minimise their CO₂ emissions.

LOTS uses Pathfinder to analyse routes, charging requirements and shipment data to design and optimise electric long-haul operations under real-world conditions. This enables the partners to simulate various scenarios, minimise operational risk and adjust routes prior to broader deployment.

At the same time, the setup is designed to be scalable. By analysing operational data over time, the corridor can adapt to new transport flows and be expanded to include additional zero-emission capacity as infrastructure and customer needs evolve.

JUNA provides access to electric truck capacity via a pay-per-use model, thereby reducing barriers to entry for battery-electric long-haul transport. The partners have together created a fully integrated, end-to-end electric corridor that functions in day-to-day operations.

“With Pathfinder, we can design and run electric routes that meet customer requirements and real-world road conditions. The platform enables us to simulate different scenarios, reduce risk and optimise flows before moving into full-scale operations,” says Johan Palmqvist, Managing Director at LOTS Group Europe.

“For JUNA Technologies, this corridor proves that electric long-haul transport is not a pilot project but a viable, day-to-day solution,” says Johan Kjellner, Managing Director and COO at JUNA Technologies. “By integrating our electric truck capacity into a data-driven, AI-optimised network, we can deliver reliable, zero-emission transport at scale”

Electric long-haul road transport is often portrayed as a solution that will only become commercially viable around 2030. This corridor challenges that narrative by demonstrating that heavy battery-electric vehicles can reliably run demanding inter-city stretches with tight delivery deadlines, and ensure year-round utilisation.

 

Sky Mobile reveals major savings hack for 2026

New research from Sky Mobile has revealed Irish customers’ habits when it comes to their monthly mobile bills and switching mobile providers – and some new opportunities for saving money in 2026. 
The study revealed that almost half (49%)* of Irish people are making financial New Year’s resolutions this January, from paying off debt to saving more money. Cutting back on impulse purchases (50%), following a budget (43%) and reducing food and drink spending (38%) are the top three ways Irish people plan to save money this year – but there’s one major savings hack that isn’t receiving the same attention. 
The same research revealed just 1 in 10 (10%) Irish people were likely to start switching mobile providers more regularly as a New Year’s money saving hack. For the remaining 90% who planned to stay put with their provider, there’s a huge, missed opportunity for saving. This January, customers who switch to Sky Mobile today will pay just €15 a month for unlimited data, calls and texts to any network in Ireland – and switching couldn’t be easier. 
The findings also show that customers aren’t as savvy at switching mobile providers as they are with other utilities, despite 70% saying they would switch for a better deal. While some Irish consumers are still not switching utility providers as often as they could, they are switching mobile providers far less frequently. Only just over a third of Irish consumers (37%) switch mobile provider within five years — while nearly double that number say they have switched electricity, gas, or broadband providers in the last five years (73%).  
What’s more, 1 in 3 consumers say they wait over five years to switch mobile provider, while 1 in 5 admit to never switching providers. Think of the savings they could have been making! 
Speaking about the findings, Irish budgeting creator and author, Caz Mooney, said: “One of my top budgeting tips for 2026 is to switch utility providers regularly but when it comes to mobile bills, it looks like many consumers are missing a big opportunity to save money.  Sky Mobile has some brilliant offers for anyone looking to switch, and the best thing is, switching is easy.”
Speaking on the benefits of Sky Mobile, Aideen Chambers, Connectivity Director, said:  “Since landing in the Irish market in 2024, Sky Mobile has offered customers fairness, flexibility and transparency when it comes to their mobile plan. However, our research tells us that a huge number of Irish customers are overpaying with their current provider. Switching to Sky Mobile could be the answer to your savings goals for 2026.”
Sky Mobile disrupted the mobile market in 2024, giving Irish customers the opportunity to Expect More versus other providers, with fairer contracts and greater transparency providing significant monthly savings. 
Sky Mobile is available in Sky’s retail stores across Ireland and online at sky.com/ie/shop/mobile. 

Using Telegram for Work and File Sharing: What You Need to Know

Work chat has quietly become the place where real work happens. Research from Microsoft WorkLab points to rising chat activity outside standard hours, which matches what many teams already feel in practice. Telegram with its abundant features and paid channels can help, but only if you build a few sensible habits around it, especially when it becomes a place where files are stored and passed around like a shared drive.

When a proxy layer helps your work chat stay steady

In day-to-day work, the biggest frustration with any messaging tool is not features but reliability. A message that sends late, a file upload that stalls, or a call that drops can break momentum and leave people guessing. It is in this context where a proxy layer can matter, especially when staff move between office Wi-Fi, home broadband, mobile data, and guest networks.

In Telegram settings, this idea is packaged as Telegram Proxy support. You can set the app to use a special type of proxy, like a SOCKS5 or MTProto, after which, all the app’s traffic will go through it. For work, this means simple wins: fewer messages that fail to send, fewer files that stop uploading halfway, and less time doing the same task over again.

The phrase “proxy solutions” covers a wide range, from a shared company-managed server to a trusted provider. The best setups are boring in the right way: stable uptime, predictable speed, and clear access controls.

So, when people talk about using proxies for Telegram, it is easy to focus on the technical steps and forget the work impact. The goal is not complexity but the smoother messaging and steadier file sharing, especially when the chat thread is acting like the hand-off point for documents and deliverables. 

Why Telegram often becomes a lightweight file hub

Once a team starts relying on Telegram for work, file sharing tends to grow naturally. A link and a short message often beat a long email, and the context stays attached to the document. Telegram also supports sending many file types and keeping them accessible across devices, which makes it tempting to treat chats as a “good enough” shared space for day-to-day assets.

A key practical limit to know is file size. Telegram’s FAQ states that you can send and receive files “up to 2 GB in size each.” For many teams, that covers slide decks, design exports, short videos, and large PDFs without needing a separate transfer tool. But the bigger challenge is organisation. If you do not build a simple naming and storage habit, files become hard to find later, especially when projects run for weeks.

The table below captures a few numbers that explain why chat and file sharing are blending together in modern work.

The table is created by us, specifically, for this article. 

Data sources: Pew Research, Microsoft 1, Microsoft 2

Guardrails that make Telegram safer and easier to manage at work

If Telegram is part of your work stack, the question is not whether it can handle daily collaboration. It is whether your team can keep it clean, searchable, and low-risk as usage grows. That starts with understanding how conversations behave across devices. Telegram supports cloud-based chats that sync widely, while Secret Chats are designed differently. Telegram’s own Support Force documentation explains that:

  • Cloud Chats can be accessed across devices 
  • Secret Chats are device-specific and use end-to-end encryption, which is why they do not sync in the same way

Focus on people and process, not just settings. Many security issues come down to rushed sharing, wrong recipients, or weak account habits. Verizon’s 2025 DBIR executive summary puts it plainly: “the involvement of the human element in breaches remained roughly the same as last year, hovering around 60%.” The same summary notes that the share of breaches involving a third party doubled from 15% to 30%, which is a reminder that partners and external collaborators can add risk if access is loose.

In day-to-day terms, guardrails look like simple choices, such as:

  • turning on strong account protection 
  • keeping work groups permissioned 
  • limiting who can add members 
  • using consistent conventions so files are easier to locate later

When Telegram becomes a file lane, it helps to treat key threads as shared workspaces, with clear ownership and a habit of pinning or summarising the latest version of important documents.

Why Real-Time Tracking Capabilities Will Define the Best Web Analytics in 2026

Not too long ago, marketers had to manually go through yesterday’s bulk of data to craft their reports. Reading the audience correctly is an art, and, less than a decade ago, these professionals had to do so with little to no digital support. Today, nearly everything happens in real time, especially analytics, which is why it’s time to look for the best web analytics in 2026. 

Historical information hasn’t lost its importance, but the competitive edge for marketers and companies now lies in the present moment. Here’s how realtime web analytics is set to transform the data analytics services landscape in 2026. 

Pixabay

The digital world is like clouds in the sky; it’s different every time one looks up. Viral content comes out of the blue, and topics become trendy as quickly as they get forgotten. So, reading the audience in real time using the right web analytics tool has become indispensable. 

Not only is it necessary to adapt to emerging trends, but also to user behavior. Here, choosing the best web analytics for websites in 2026 saves the day once again, providing actionable insights to personalize the user experience on the go. Unsurprisingly, the global web analytics market is skyrocketing, with specialists forecasting a CAGR of up to 19% between 2025 and 2032.

Moreover, it allows companies to identify anomalies as they occur, preventing further damage and maintaining the level of user experience. There are also other advantages, such as fraud detection, improved productivity, and more efficient decision-making. Indeed, modern web analytics software can do much more than tracking clicks and traffic. 

Privacy Matters



Pixabay

Since the main tasks of most web analytics tools are to save and analyze user information, they have raised legitimate privacy concerns. In many cases, such tools collect users’ data without their consent. However, that’s not the only (or even less so, the best) way of doing business in this field. 

The best tools have a privacy-first approach, collecting much less data than traditional ones. While this approach results in a smaller data volume, that information is by no means less valuable. Marketers can still get actionable insights from this information by using platforms which provide privacy-by-design data collection. Such platforms anonymize and encrypt their data for enhanced protection, without necessarily compromising the depth of analysis.Moreover, they only do so with user consent. It’s not only a matter of doing ethical business. As new privacy laws emerge in major jurisdictions like the European Union, the USA, China, and Brazil, protecting users’ anonymity has become a matter of compliance. It means that tools that somehow breach such standards will likely miss out on tremendous marketing opportunities. 

At the Speed of Now

In 2026, the superiority of web analytics tools will be measured mostly by uncompromised integrity and instantaneous insights. The winners will likely be those capable of doing more with less data. After all, interpreting live trends has become indispensable for online marketing. In other words, the future belongs to those who analyse with speed and conscience. 

 

Battery and e-waste clear-out plea as only half return for safe recycling

Only half of household batteries sold on the Irish market are making their way back for recycling each year, new data shows.

As newly-bought Christmas gifts replace old devices, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Ireland is urging people to recycle used batteries and unwanted small electrical items, rather than storing or binning them.

Its figures show that almost half of all household battery purchases are made during the Christmas shopping period, yet recycling rates remain stubbornly low.
To support a nationwide New Year clear-out, the e-waste recycling scheme is delivering one million blue battery recycling boxes to homes this month to capture the valuable hoard of waste batteries.

They can be returned for free at participating retailers or local recycling centres.

“As space is made for new gifts, now is the ideal time to carry out a battery and e-waste clear-out,” said Leo Donovan, CEO of WEEE Ireland.

“As well as providing a handy QR code that connects you to a map of hundreds of local drop off points, our blue battery boxes are a simple but powerful reminder that batteries should never go in household bins.

“Returning for recycling ensures the safe recovery and reuse of the materials they contain.”

When it comes to small electronic items, 2024 figures from WEEE Ireland show a similar trend, with 40 per cent of Ireland’s annual small electronic gift and toy purchases happening in the festive period.

But just 30 per cent of these are returned to the circular economy for recycling.

Recycling rates for electronic toys such as gaming consoles, e-scooters and battery-operated action figures are even lower, dropping to just 10 per cent, leaving millions of unused, broken or obsolete toys gathering dust in homes or discarded incorrectly in the household bin.

“Every home in Ireland can make a difference. Batteries don’t belong in the bin – they belong in recycling. When we dispose of them incorrectly, we risk fires and environmental pollution,” said Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, Alan Dillon.

“This January, WEEE Ireland is delivering one million battery boxes to households. Let’s use them. Collect every old battery from toys, decorations, and devices, and return them to your local retailer or recycling centre.
“It’s free, safe, and it protects our environment. Together, we can keep dangerous chemicals out of landfill and rare materials in circulation. Let’s make 2026 about responsibility and care for each other.”

WEEE Ireland’s network of free collection points across local authority civic amenity centres and retailers is available at weeeireland.ie.

A new Light Means of Transport (LMT) lithium battery guide has also been added to the WEEE Ireland website to support consumers on the safe recycling of higher-capacity batteries such as those used in e-bikes, e-scooters, e-mobility and power packs.

One-Third of HGV Drivers Now Over 55

With almost one-third (31%) of Ireland’s HGV drivers now aged 55 or over, the logistics workforce is facing a deepening labour crisis as the sector moves into 2026. Large operators are fast-tracking investment in robotics, Autonomous Mobile Robots and data-driven Warehouse Management Systems. The continued expansion of Ireland’s robotics market in 2025 has shifted the skillset inside the warehouse, driving demand for mechatronics, maintenance, controls and data roles.

Despite Government-backed efforts in 2025, including an expanded Logistics & Supply Chain Skills Week[1] and additional HGV and logistics apprenticeships, the replacement pipeline remains under strain, leaving demand for qualified drivers at critical levels.

This shortage forms part of a wider pattern highlighted in Excel Recruitment’s newly published 2026 Industrial & Warehousing Salary Guide, which shows a sector under mounting pressure from rising employment costs, automation-driven skills demand, and persistent talent shortages. With Ireland’s unemployment rate at 5.3%[2], competition for qualified candidates remains intense – particularly for HGV drivers, warehouse operatives, and technical maintenance roles.

John Kearns, Industrial Division Manager at Excel Recruitment, commented:
“The industrial and warehousing sector is resilient, but the cost of employment is rising faster than ever. SMEs in particular are feeling the squeeze as they try to balance competitive pay while absorbing escalating statutory costs.

Automation is not replacing people, but it is changing what employers value. Rather than reducing headcount, automation is reshaping it, with employers now seeking adaptable workers who can combine hands-on experience with basic technical or digital skills.

Adaptability, technical skills, and digital literacy are now critical for long-term success. At the same time, the ageing workforce, especially among drivers, adds another layer of complexity to an already tight labour market”.

The Excel Recruitment Industrial & Warehousing Salary Guide 2026 reveals a dual challenge facing employers: rising payroll costs[3] and the urgent need to upskill staff as automation reshapes traditional roles.

Key Findings from the report include:

  • Cost Pressures: The minimum wage increase to €14.15/hour, PRSI hikes, and pension auto-enrolment are tightening employer budgets.
  • Skills Shortages: 65% of employers report moderate to severe skills shortages, particularly in HGV driving, maintenance, and digital operations.
  • Automation Impact: Investment in robotics and smart manufacturing surged by 50% in 2025, driving demand for mechatronics engineers, PLC technicians, and WMS superusers.
  • In-Demand Roles:
    • Drivers: HGV (C/CE), last-mile van drivers remain critical amid an ageing workforce.
    • Warehouse Operatives (with tech fluency): RF scanners, voice/vision pick, and basic WMS reporting skills have become increasingly essential.
    • Technical Specialists: Electro-mechanical maintenance technicians, PLC/controls techs, mechatronics engineers, WMS/OMS superusers and data analytics roles are commanding premium salaries.
    • Leadership & Compliance: Operations/warehouse managers, EHS/ESG coordinators, and customs/trade compliance specialists remain vital.

(Full salary guide available at www.excelrecruitment.com)

Notable Salary Changes

  1. Voice Picker
    • 2025: €13.50 – €16 per hour
    • 2026: €14.15 – €17 per hour
      (Increase driven by minimum wage rise and demand for tech fluency)
  2. Rigid Truck Driver
  • 2025: €17 – €22 per hour
  • 2026: €18 – €24 per hour

(Salary growth reflects ongoing skills shortages amid employer competition for experienced drivers)

  1. Van Driver
    • 2025: €14 – €16 per hour
    • 2026: €15 – €17 per hour
      (Reflects continued pressure on driver supply and ageing workforce)
  2. Warehouse Manager
    • 2025: €35k – €60k
    • 2026: €40k – €70k
      (Higher ceiling for experienced managers as automation projects expand)
  3. Assistant Warehouse Manager
    • 2025: €30k – €45k
    • 2026: €31k – €60k
      (Highlights the growing importance of operational leadership as warehouses adopt automation and advanced systems)

 

Looking Ahead

Excel Recruitment reports that despite challenges in the sector, demand for workers remains strong, driven by e-commerce growth, nearshoring, and green logistics. Employers who invest in training pathways, predictable shift patterns, and enhanced benefits will have a competitive edge in attracting and retaining talent.

Mr. Kearns noted,

“What really stands out from this year’s guide is how automation and workforce pressures are reshaping the industrial sector. For employers, it’s not just about filling roles – they need to rethink how teams are structured, what skills to invest in, and how to retain their people. Companies that embrace innovation and offer flexible working conditions will have a real advantage in attracting and keeping talent.

For SMEs, this is particularly challenging. They are being asked to compete in a market where technical skills and leadership capability are increasingly what set successful companies apart. On top of this, the ageing workforce and rising employment costs add further pressure. The employers that succeed will be those who combine upskilling, employee engagement, and clear training pathways to create a workplace people genuinely want to stay in”.

 

[1] Gov.ie – Logistics and Supply Chain Skills Week

2 CSO –  Labour Force Survey Quarter 3 2025

3 From January 2026, the National Minimum Wage will rise to €14.15 per hour, while employer PRSI will increase again in October. Pension auto-enrolment also launches in January, adding further cost layers for businesses already operating on tight margins.

Increased SME investment in digital transition could add €8.3 billion to the Irish economy

Digital Business Ireland (DBI), the country’s largest representative body for digital and online businesses, has today issued a major new report on supporting the further growth of digital commerce in Ireland. The report, titled ‘Taking Digital Commerce in Ireland to the Next Level’ includes and an economic assessment which estimates that doubling the average level of digital investment by Irish SMEs could add €8.3 billion to the Irish economy.
Digital commerce in Ireland is booming, driven by Irish consumers, with Ireland among the European leaders in terms of online purchasing. This level of consumer demand offers a real and tangible opportunity for businesses in Ireland. In 2024, 37.9% of small enterprises were engaged in digital commerce (CSO) – the second highest in Europe – yet many SMEs have still not reached the level of digital maturity required to compete effectively.
The report argues that businesses should be seeking, on an ongoing basis, to upscale their digital maturity and enhance their digital commerce capabilities. The report also sets-out a new Digital Maturity Model for Ireland that cover five levels: Foundational, Operational, Embedded, Transformational, Exploratory.
Following the publication of the report, Victor Timon, Chair of Digital Business Ireland, said: “The reality of digital transition is that it is a task that is never completed. The tempo of change never slows. For all the progress we have made as an economy, the accelerating pace of digital innovation and the unprecedented opportunities offered by AI means there is always new ground to travel and there is always another level to be reached. Digital Business Ireland’s core message is that all businesses should be striving and supported to move up to the next level of digital maturity. But to achieve this there needs to be transformative uplift in business investment in digital transition in Ireland.”
The report recognises that government and state enterprise agencies including Enterprise Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices have played a vitally important role in supporting businesses on their digital journey.  However, the report comes against the backdrop of data which shows that while 74% of Irish SMEs have reached a basic level of digital intensity, only 39% have achieved an advanced level (EU Digital Decade). At the same time, the percentage of Irish SMEs investing in digital transition is falling (ESRI).
The report identifies a number of recommendations for future business supports from both Government and industry. Among the key recommendations are:
  • The introduction of a second, higher-value tier of the Grow Digital Voucher to support businesses in Ireland to invest in next-level digital commerce capabilities, building on the discontinued Enterprise Ireland Online Retail Scheme.
  • The introduction of targeted tax measures, such as Accelerated Tax Credits, to incentivise ongoing business investment in next-level digital commerce capabilities.
While the Grow Digital Voucher represents an important measure to support Irish SMEs at the Foundational and Emerging levels of digital maturity with meeting the costs of digital transition, the current €5,000 grant limit is not sufficient to incentivise SMEs to invest in the types of technologies and capabilities set out in the report.
Feedback to Digital Business Ireland from its member companies and partners has indicated that the previous Enterprise Ireland Online Retail Scheme had proven effective and that a similar scheme should be reintroduced to help business to meet the costs of ongoing investment in upscaling their digital retailing capabilities. Digital Business Ireland also believes tax measures could prove an accessible and effective fiscal approach to incentivising and unlocking business investment in digital transition and the adoption of AI.
The report also discusses how digital advertising is essential to the success of digital commerce, offering businesses, especially SMEs, an accessible and cost-efficient means of reaching interested consumer and growing their sales. The report recommends that the Irish Government actively champion policy positions at an EU level which seek to preserve and strengthen the ability of business in Ireland to use personalised ads. The report also recommends that Government conduct an assessment of the value of digital advertising to the Irish economy and jobs.
The report sets out a number of case studies of Irish-owned brands and retailers who have developed their digital commerce presence with the support of digital agencies who members of DBI:
  • Golden Discs – supported by Truffle Hog
  • Elephant Living – supported by Core Optimisation
  • Lily O’Briens – supported by All human
The report also includes a case study of the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) who are a DBI partner and who are playing a leading role in supporting Irish businesses seeking to access finance to invest in digital transition.

Dublin Fire Brigade invests in location intelligence

Esri Ireland, the market leader in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), announces that Dublin Fire Brigade has deployed a new digital mapping system designed to improve emergency response, strengthen firefighter and public safety, and enhance how critical resources are allocated across Dublin city and county.

Ireland’s largest fire and rescue service, Dublin Fire Brigade was founded over 160 years ago. It provides fire, rescue, and emergency ambulance services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to Dublin’s 1.5 million citizens. It recently established a new Organisational Intelligence Unit with a key goal to optimise the use of location-based information to effectively manage fire risks and help keep communities safe.

Built using Esri’s ArcGIS technology, the new digital mapping system brings together operational data, such as the locations of fire stations and historic fire incidents, with third-party data – including census and population health information – for the first time.

Enhanced insights support increased safety for both the public and firefighters by raising awareness of buildings in Dublin with fire safety issues – such as inadequate means of escape, building defects, or over-occupancy. Using the technology, Dublin Fire Brigade can now map this information and put effective response plans in place that take known issues into account.

What’s more, the technology is enabling Dublin Fire Brigade to carry out more targeted community fire prevention activities by focusing citizen safety campaigns on specific vulnerable groups, especially in locations that are experiencing clusters of dwelling fires. It can easily see where fire safety efforts are still needed to reach at-risk communities, as well as contextual data such as concentrations of smokers or elderly people.

In addition, Dublin Fire Brigade is using Esri’s ArcGIS technology to identify optimal locations for new fire stations as Dublin continues to expand, as well as to ensure that aerial fire appliances are strategically located to reach the tallest and highest-risk buildings.

Dublin Fire Brigade plans to make the system widely available across varying departments within the organisation to enable more strategic planning and informed decision-making.

Rob Howell, Station Officer, Organisational Intelligence Unit, Dublin Fire Brigade, said: “It has been a really successful collaboration. The consultants at Esri Ireland have a high level of expertise, both in terms of their GIS knowledge and their project management skills. This technology gives us the ability to target our fire prevention strategies – we can deliver campaigns in the right locations to reach the most vulnerable people and have the biggest impact in terms of community fire prevention. Equally, we have to consider firefighters’ health and safety as well as that of the general public and, by being better informed, we can improve our responses to incidents and keep our responders safe in fires and other emergency situations. The potential for location intelligence in the fire service is absolutely huge and has a big role to play in our future.”

Gareth McBride, Customer Success Manager, Esri Ireland, said: “Dublin Fire Brigade is continuously evolving the fire service to meet the needs of Dublin’s residents, businesses, institutions, and visitors. To support this, it is embedding geospatial data intelligence at the heart of operational and strategic decision-making. Location intelligence is helping the fire brigade in managing and reducing fire risks, addressing some of the biggest dangers in a changing cityscape. We are delighted to be working with Dublin Fire Brigade on such an important and necessary project, and excited to see its expanded capabilities as the technology is rolled out more widely.”