Facilitate and expedite the rollout of the National Broadband Plan in Donegal by working closely with the operator to promote update, solve problems and prioritise locations

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Current status:
A Broadband County Coordinator has been appointed by the Council. Surveying in various deployment areas will continue in 2022. NBI are progressing the build of active equipment modules in each Deployment area. The required S254 licence applications are being evaluated and processed by the Council as they are submitted by NBI. Network build will commence in the Letterkenny DA in the 1st half of 2022. The intervention areas of the Broadband rollout are generally remote rural areas.

Contact

Daragh McDonough
Donegal County Council
dmcdonough@donegalcoco.ie

Installing 75 WiFi Hotspots in towns and villages around the county

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Current status:
Rollout of the 75 selected hotspots commenced in 2021, with all 75 live since January 2022.

Contact

Daragh McDonough
Donegal County Council
dmcdonough@donegalcoco.ie

Prioritise particular community, tourism and digital hub sites for installation of High Speed Broadband during 2021

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Current status:
12 sites have been identified and all are now live.

Contact

Daragh McDonough
Donegal County Council
dmcdonough@donegalcoco.ie

Develop a portal, one-stop-shop or "window" for all digital related training available in County Donegal. It serves SMEs, communities and individuals. The courses of all major digital training providers will be present on the site.

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Current status:
A pilot version of the portal is currently ready. A batch upload for large providers is ready for test. Live testing to follow with ATU Letterkenny through Q3-Q4 of 2022.

Contact

Margaret Quinn
ERNACT Network
margaret.quinn@ernact.eu

Document the case for increased digital research in the County to ensure advanced technical skills, to match the evolving needs of enterprises, to create conditions for spin-offs and to attract new businesses

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Current status:
Research on this topic has been included in a document and is shared with ATU Letterkenny for use in their Applied Digtial Research development plans

Contact

Margaret Quinn
ERNACT Network
margaret.quinn@ernact.eu

Support the development of a network of digital innovation hubs around the county for digital startups, remote working and digital transformation of existing SMEs

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Current status:
To date, 12 Digital hubs are operational in the County with another 2 in development. There are also 4 community hubs in operation and 3 others in the pipeline. There are also 5 Business Centres available in Letterkenny. The Alpha Innovation Centre is operational in virtual mode.

Contact

Margaret Quinn
ERNACT Network
margaret.quinn@ernact.eu

Adjust innovation ecosystems regions to the still-evolving innovation patterns that have emerged from a combination of the COVID pandemic & the security emergency on Eastern EU borders

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Current status:
A project proposal CODIL has been submitted to address the fact that the nature of innovation has fundamentally changed as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic and that policy instruments that support innovation in regions must also change to be effective

Contact

Jose Manuel San Emeterio
ERNACT Network
jsanemeterio@ernact.eu

Increase the number of SME's innovating, progressing on their Digital Transformation and adopting Industry 4.0

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Current status:
The focus for action in this area is the EI-funded "Innovation-as-a-Service" (IaaS) project which aims to bring technology providers closer to SMEs in Donegal via our Innovation Hubs as outreach. EU-funded projects including DEVISE and DIGITAL REGIONS are also being utilised to provide resources. Workshop series with Alpha IC.

Contact

Margaret Quinn
ERNACT Network
margaret.quinn@ernact.eu

Highlight the advantages that County Donegal has as a location for startups: hub network; dynamic ecosystem; Atlantic Tech University; life-style

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Current status:
Online marketing of Donegal as a great place for startups, and remote tech workers. A marketing campaign based on a series of 6 videos highlighting the DIH services and Donegal's offering for tech workers and companies was completed sucessfully.

Contact

Margaret Quinn
ERNACT Network
margaret.quinn@ernact.eu

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Current status:
Pilot initiatives are running via the Council with pedestrian foot counters installed at Sliabh liag & Malin Head. An open tourism database with a GIS interface is operational. Environmental monitoring includes road temperature & river level monitoring.

Contact

Daragh McDonough
Donegal County Council
dmcdonough@donegalcoco.ie

Apply digital technologies to foster culture and tourism such as immersive technology to experience historical maritime tourist attractions and the Digi2market project of Údarás

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Current status:
Virtual reality immersive experiences for exploration of maritime attractions have been launched at Fanad Lighthouse, Fort Dunree and the Inishowen Maritime Museum under the NPA Tide project. & are illuminating & inspiring across all age groups.

Contact

Anne Marie Mc Laughlin
ERNACT Network
annemarie.mclaughlin@ernact.eu

Develop smart infrastructure to improve life & increase sustainability in our towns

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Current status:
Work with all interested stakeholders to select, build & showcase smart pilots for example for Letterkenny innovation quarter. A Smart NW Region workshop planned for November 2022.

Contact

Margaret Quinn
ERNACT Network
margaret.quinn@ernact.eu

Increase the capacity of local government to employ disruptive technologies such as AI, IoT, mobile networks, to provide improved public services

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Current status:
Proposals submitted for EU projects ENAIBLER and INNOCAP which aim to improve the capacity of local government to improve and create new public services via disruptive technologies such as AI,VR, IoT, digital solutions

Contact

Jose Manuel San Emeterio
ERNACT Network
jsanemeterio@ernact.eu