Minister of State Ossian Smyth, TD, and ESB Telecoms MD John Regan. Image: Fennell Photography
The IrelandQCI project is part of a wider initiative to future-proof communications infrastructure across Europe against cyberattacks.
Representatives from multiple European institutions and universities are attending a three-day event in Dublin to discuss the future of quantum communication technology.
The event is organised by Ireland Quantum Communications Infrastructure (IrelandQCI), a €10m project that aims to future-proof communications infrastructure across Europe. This project launched in 2022 and is one of several projects across the EU working towards the same goal.
Quantum technology specialists from across Europe have gathered at the Camden Court Hotel in Dublin for the conference, which includes stakeholder engagement, workshops, training and addresses from representatives of the European Commission’s Petrus network – the organisation coordinating the deployment of European QCI projects.
The IrelandQCI team is working to establish quantum key distribution infrastructure along a major network from Dublin to Cork via Waterford, by using a quantum channel integrated with existing fibre systems. The goal is to future-proof Ireland’s communications infrastructure against cyberattacks.
The project will trial 16 quantum security technology scenarios with key stakeholders across the general public, industry and academic sectors. IrelandQCI is roughly 18 months into its 30-month duration.
Waterford’s Walton Institute in South East Technological University is leading the IrelandQCI project, on behalf of Connect, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Future Networks and Communications. The project also includes participation from multiple Irish universities.
Project lead and Walton Institute’s director of research Dr Deirdre Kilbane said the three-day event is “an excellent coming-together of the quantum communication community” that will promote the sharing of knowledge.
“There are sectors represented here today spanning not only STEM industries but also health, security, education, finance, telecommunications and more,” Kilbane said. “IrelandQCI will create a secure communication infrastructure that will benefit not only government, industry and academia, but wider Irish society.”
Attendees at the event today (2 July) included representatives from the European Commission, the European Space Agency and technology specialists from across Irish and European industry and academia.
In 2022, a group of researchers claimed to find a breakthrough in quantum entanglement that could help deliver unhackable communication networks in the future.
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