Digitalisation In Ireland: Which Trends Will Dominate the Future of the Market?

The European Union is asking its members to digitalise their economies and other key aspects of societies by 2030. It will be a big challenge, but Europe's digital transformation agenda is not up for debate. Many countries are still not ready for such a move, but one is surprisingly ahead of the pack. Ireland is set to lead Europe's digital transformation by 2030 thanks to its unique digital framework, which aims beyond the EU's expectations.

It's all thanks to a strong technology sector and a business-friendly environment. The country has seen excellent progress in digital skills, infrastructure, and digitalisation of businesses even in the private sector. Some key technologies are emerging as the drivers behind several digitalisation trends, and we'll talk more about them below.

How Does Ireland Rank When it Comes to Digitalisation in Europe?

Pretty high, to be honest. Ireland is ranked fifth on the EU's charts of most advanced digital economies. It has a strong tech sector and takes a proactive, business-friendly approach to digital economy. Digital skills in business are in high demand. That's because more and more people are working remotely.

• The rise of hybrid and remote work models caused a major demand for digital skills among Irish enterprises.

• Public sector services are slowly moving toward automation. However, there are still challenges and bumps on this road, especially in application performance management.

• One of the key driving factors in Ireland's digital transformation are government initiatives such as the National Digital Strategy.

• Investments in technologies such as 5G are a key piece in Ireland's digital economy growth.

It's fair to say that Ireland takes digital transformation seriously. There have been a few emerging trends in the process of digitalisation which will see Ireland racing toward the EU's goal by 2030.

The Rise of Online Gaming

Ireland's online gambling laws are a bit strange compared to other EU countries. You can play games at licensed online casinos, but if you want to visit a land-based venue, you're out of luck. It might not seem like it, but this is certainly part of the country's push for digitalisation.

There are no plans to make land-based casinos legal ever again. Ireland has given the nod to online casinos, which are thriving thanks to the National Digital Strategy. The country is a magnet for casinos and developers thanks to the business-friendly environment. It's easy for casino sites to obtain an Irish license and set up shop there than in many other countries.

Online casinos benefit a lot from Ireland's investment in 5G services. Most players these days play casino games at licensed sites on the go, and with strong Internet infrastructure and fast speeds, it's easier than ever to play casino games online.

Innovation-Friendly Businesses Another trend that has been observed in Ireland’s digitalisation initiative is the turn to an innovation-friendly business environment. There’s a huge productivity gap between small and big businesses in the country. More and more big companies are using cloud computing. This is the perfect way to go forward in the digitalization process, and smaller companies are trying to catch up and move forward with the digitalisation agenda.

The benefits of cloud computing outweigh the investment. With cloud computing and great Internet infrastructure, Ireland’s digital economy is growing at lightning speeds.

National Broadband Plan

One of the driving forces behind Ireland’s digital transformation is the National Broadband Plan. As you might notice, the government is fully dedicated to digital innovation and inclusion. With the National Broadband Plan, the country aims to bring lightning-speed Internet to all parts of Ireland.

By pushing this agenda, even rural areas will get fast Internet speeds. Now, some people might be wondering why rural areas need fast Internet. Many of Ireland’s small-scale businesses are located in the country. Agriculture and livestock will benefit a lot from digitalisation, as long as people invest in digital skills.

And they certainly do. Digital transformation in these areas will reshape both and get them ready for the new era. That’s why 5G and faster Internet speeds are required and with the country’s plan, they will be delivered to every part of Ireland.

AI and Big Data

While many countries are still undecided on AI regulation, Ireland is all for it. The country’s AI – Here for Good initiative puts it in the focus. In the past few years, it became clear that AI will spearhead the world’s digital transformation. By investing in it, Ireland is aiming to stay ahead of the curve.

In mid-2022, Ireland launched the €65 million National Challenge Fund. Its goal is to lead digital transformation via AI models. The Co-Centre program puts Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Great Britain together in an effort to fuse AI and Big Data together. These expensive programs are a key trend that can lead Ireland’s digital transformation to a new and bold era.

This investment will lead to new knowledge and application of both AI and Big Data in various business sectors. It’s no wonder that Artificial Intelligence will lead the world in a new tech age, and Ireland may be the leading country in this sector.

Consumer Data Protection

Keeping consumer data safe is a top goal for Ireland. Laws such as the NIS2 Directive and GDPR are helping companies use new technologies to manage risks better. Ireland is investing heavily in cybersecurity in many sectors including banking and finance, government, and utilities.

In the future, data breaches in Ireland will be fined by up to 4% of the company’s earnings. That’s why there’s been a trend of data security companies landing in Ireland. There are over 500 of these companies with more than 7,000 employees. They are fully dedicated to helping Ireland’s digital transformation by improving how companies protect consumer data.

Similar to its broadband plan, the government has introduced the National Cyber Security Strategy in 2019. With it, it has become a mecca for the cybersecurity industry, which helps keep Ireland strongly competitive in the field of digital transformation.