Over 30 small businesses from across the country will get the opportunity to showcase themselves to almost 300,000 visitors at the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, County Laois.

The Local Enterprise Village, an initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices, will be located at the heart of this year's National Ploughing Championships from the 17th to 19th September. It will showcase the best of Irish entrepreneurship featuring small businesses selling everything from Mexican salsa and chemical free fertilisers to high end fashion designers and sensory friendly clothing.

With some of the biggest companies in Ireland taking up residence at the Ploughing every year, the Local Enterprise Village continues to be a popular destination on the site for those looking to pick up something unique to bring home from some of the best small businesses in Ireland.

A selection of businesses from across the country helped launch the Local Enterprise Village for 2024 at Airfield Estate in Dublin. These included Leah Cleary of Fore Distillery, Dublin fashion designer Jennifer Rothwell, Anouk O'Connell of natural wool company Olanmor, Joanne Doyle of Enchanted Castle Melts in Carlow and Mildred Tang of canvas tote company Chic Tote.

Kieran Comerford, Local Enterprise Offices and Head of the Local Enterprise Village, said; "This is an opportunity like no other for a small business in Ireland. The opportunity to bring their ideas and products to almost 300,000 potential customers is a showcase like no other. The Local Enterprise Village has become one of those areas everyone wants to drop into to find their local business and see what they can pick up.

There is a huge variety of businesses highlighting the depth of sectors that the Local Enterprise Offices support from manufacturing to food and beverage, to software solutions. Whatever you are interested in there is something for everyone at the Local Enterprise Village."

Kildare NPA Director John Dunne said "It is wonderful to see so many diverse & impressive businesses partaking in this year's 'Local Enterprise Village' at the National Ploughing Championships taking place in Ratheniska, Co Laois on September 17th, 18th & 19th. This is an ideal and unique opportunity for these companies to showcase their products & wares to over 250,000 visitors that Ploughing attracts."

The Local Enterprise Village is just one of a number of initiatives that the Local Enterprise Offices run, to foster entrepreneurship across the country. Others include Local Enterprise Week, the National Enterprise Awards, the Student Enterprise Programme, National Women's Enterprise Day and Local Enterprise Showcase. The Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities are funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland.

Established in 2014, the Local Enterprise Offices are the essential resource for any entrepreneur looking to start a business or any small business that is looking for support or advice to help them grow. Since their inception eight years ago, the Local Enterprise Offices have helped create over 25,000 jobs across the country.

The LEOs work with thousands of client companies across Ireland in a diverse range of sectors offering mentoring, training, expert advice and financial supports to small businesses. For more information see www.LocalEnterprise.ie

LOCAL ENTERPRISE VILLAGE CLIENTS @ NATIONAL PLOUGHING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2024

LEO Carlow - Enchanted Castle Melts - Hand poured soy wax melts & candles in a variety of scents, and also produce cosmetically assessed bath & body products www.enchanted-castle-melts.com

LEO Carlow - Skillet & Spice - Skillet & Spice specialises in the production of high-quality seasonings and sell a range of sesame-based seasonings called 'Everything'. www.skilletandspice.ie

LEO Cavan - Elena Brennan Jewellery - Handmade fine jewellery, designed and created in Co Cavan www.elenabrennan.com

LEO Clare - Oir Tonics - Moss Boss Tonic is a carrageen moss based health t...

Almost seven in ten (68pc) people in Ireland are now willing to pay more for environmentally friendly, "Green" products. However, how much more they are willing to pay varies considerably - ranging from an additional 5pc to 'whatever it takes'.

This is according to new research from Royal London Ireland, which also revealed that, on average, people are willing to pay almost one-fifth more (19.9pc) for environmentally friendly and sustainable products, with the nation's Generation Z more likely than any other generational group surveyed to be prepared to pay a premium for such products.

Royal London Ireland, one of Ireland's leading life insurance and pensions companies, is describing the findings as "highly illuminating", suggesting a shift in consumer behaviour that may drive market changes and encourage companies to adopt more sustainable practices.

The research forms the third instalment of Royal London Ireland's ESG Index, a benchmark which examines the evolving public opinions and outlook on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, as well as the public's confidence in financial services organisations fulfilling their ESG promises and targets. (See Table 1 below)

Joe Charles, Proposition Director at Royal London Ireland, commented on the findings:

"People's readiness to pay more for environmentally friendly and sustainable products is encouraging and underscores a heightened awareness among younger consumers about environmental issues and ethical consumption. The results of the Royal London Ireland ESG Index research suggest that, on average, people would also be willing to pay 19.9pc more for environmentally friendly and sustainable products."

Table 1: Royal London Ireland ESG Sentiment Index

Mar 2023

Sept 2023

May 2024

Whether financial service companies should act in a responsible manner

78.5

76.5

73

Trust in financial service companies promises

54.5

50.5

48

Optimism that financial service companies will deliver on their social responsibilities

50

46

50.5

Movements in the index itself indicate there has been a fall in the number of people who believe that financial services companies are making 'real progress' towards being more socially responsible. Despite this, the public was slightly more optimistic about the likelihood of financial services companies delivering on their social responsibilities.

Highlights from the third Royal London Ireland ESG Index research include:

Importance:

More women (64pc) than men (57pc) think it's important that financial service companies act in a responsible manner when it comes to ESG issues. Baby Boomers are the group that feel most strongly that this is extremely important - with 34pc feeling this way, compared to 23pc of Millennials. By contrast, Generation Z are the least likely to care about whether or not financial services companies act in a responsible manner when it comes to ESG issues.

When it comes to those who would be considered positively inclined to believe it is important that financial services companies act responsibly, the research found:

62pc of Baby Boomers feel this way, followed by 54pc in the Generation X category, 45pc of 'Millennials', and 41pc Generation Z.

Trust:

One in three (32pc) people don't trust that Irish financial services companies will deliver on their ESG promises. Generation Z's have the least amount of trust, with 46pc having 'little to no' trust in financial institutions to live up to their promises here. Millennials and Baby Boomers are apathetic, with more than two-fifths (42pc) voicing no real opinion on this matter either way. Women are also more likely to be disenfranchised on the issue.

The research found that those positively inclined to trust financial services companies and their actions around ESG include one-fifth of Baby Boomers, followed by 18pc of Gen X, 15pc of Millennials and 15pc of those in the youngest category - Gen Z.

Optimism:

Almost one in three (32pc) adults are optimistic that the financial services sector...

New data published by LinkedIn has revealed that Ireland ranks second in Europe for hybrid (37.7%) and remote (8.4%) work opportunities. The analysis also found that the demand for flexible roles continues to outstrip supply, with the availability of these positions declining year-on-year as more staff return to the office.

As a result, there are high levels of competition for these roles, with remote positions in Ireland attracting 2.5x the share of applications compared to the amount of positions available.

Competition for these roles is likely to remain high, with the availability of hybrid and remote roles continuing to decline as more employers bring their people back to the office. The level of paid job postings in Ireland offering hybrid positions declined by -10.5% year-on-year, with remote positions contracting by -7.7% over the same period.

Hiring in Tech Sector Stabilises

LinkedIn's data also revealed that hiring rates continue to lag behind pre-pandemic levels in Ireland but that the rate of decline is slowing, which is a sign of stabilisation. This demonstrates that employers continue to hire, but at a more cautious rate, with employees staying in their current positions longer.

Despite challenging conditions in recent times in the Technology sector, hiring has begun to stabilise, with a +6.8% year-on-year increase in the LinkedIn Hiring Rate during June, an improvement to the hiring deceleration seen throughout 2023, which at its lowest point saw a fall of -57.2% year-on-year in May 2023.

Commenting on the trends, LinkedIn Ireland Country Manager Sue Duke said:

"Flexible work options continue to be highly attractive for Irish professionals, with demand for remote roles proving to be highly competitive judging by the disproportionate amount of applications they attract. Highlighting what level of flexibility is available at a company as part of the hiring process is a key tool in attracting talent in what is a very tight jobs market in Ireland.

"While hiring rates continue to lag behind the buoyant levels of what we saw pre-pandemic, we are seeing some green shoots, with some industries like the Tech sector beginning to stabilise. This is a positive sign that the turbulence that we have seen in the sector has begun to level out, with some employers back on a positive footing."

JLL, a leading real estate company, has recently signed a corporate power purchase agreement (CPPA) with Pinergy. This agreement will enable JLL to provide renewable energy to its extensive real estate portfolio, as part of Pinergy's Guarantee of Origin offering. This announcement comes following the long-standing corporate relationship between JLL's Property Management Department and Pinergy.

Pinergy's new Guarantee of Origin offering, also referred to as a Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (CPPA), is an agreement whereby a company can purchase electricity generated from a wind farm or solar farm based in Ireland that is feeding power into the national grid.

100% of JLL's energy demand in Ireland that is sourced from Pinergy will be met by renewable electricity from wind farms across the country. These wind farms include Lahanaght Wind Farm in Co. Cork, and Beallough Wind Farm, Co Waterford.

By availing of Pinergy's Guarantee of Origin offering over 285 commercial supply points within JLL's managed property portfolio are now powered entirely by guaranteed renewable green energy. This deal represents Pinergy's largest corporate power purchase agreement to date providing 22gWh sourced from the two Irish wind farms.

This transition to green, renewable energy usage is projected to result in carbon emission reductions equivalent to offsetting the emissions from approximately 4,400 round-trip flights between Dublin and New York.

Eric Williams, Sustainability Manager of Property Management at JLL, commented on the CPPA deal, stating, "Pinergy's 'Guarantee of Origin' offering perfectly aligns with JLL's Global ESG and Sustainability mandate, as well as the requirements of our clients and occupiers who seek green, renewable energy solutions.

We were initially introduced to Pinergy through our partnership with our preferred energy broker, Wecansaveyoumoney.ie, and I would like to extend a special mention to Ronan Leenane and his team. We eagerly anticipate continuing this partnership and expanding our offerings as our department grows."

Enda Gunnell, Chief Executive Officer at Pinergy said; "We are pleased to announce this new CPPA with JLL, building on our long-standing relationship, this CPPA is testament to JLL's commitment to leadership and innovation in the property sector. We look forward to continuing our partnership with JLL to support them on their energy transition journey."

Gunnell continued, "To date we have secured corporate power purchase agreements for more than 150gWh of annual Irish wind generation under our Guarantee of Origin offering and we expect to see demand for this offering grow substantially in the coming years."

Pinergy's Guarantee of Origin offering supports companies as they look to reduce their carbon footprint ensuring they now have a traceable energy system in place for their portfolio from a chosen renewable facility in Ireland.

See more stories here.

"The AI Mirror, How To Reclaim Our Humanity In An Age Of Machine Learning", by Shannon Vallor, published just last month. It is a thorough piece of work exploring AI's relationship with humanity from a different perspective. The author did a wonderful job of exploring the human story of using AI technology and its associated risks.

The AI Mirror reviewed

The scale of AI and its maladaptation in today's world has screamed out for a book such as this. The author's premise in the book is to explore why humanity and AI are conceptually inseparable. It also explores our current adoption of AI, along with the how and why it's endangering our future.

The book starts out with context around what it means to be human. Existential questions about our existence, and what makes up our upper level activity-sets are key to understanding AI's mis-positioning in mainstream society. It also notes how a narrow pool of people created AI, yet its application reports AI has a mirror of all humanity. This machine-learned behavior changes our perceptions, and not always in good ways.

The analysis from the very beginning is thoughtful and written for any user of technology who can relate to technology's position in our world. It moves into how AI, with a change of focus and technological implementation, can become instrumental in solving major threats to our future. Instead of being distracted by our past in an AI mirror, we can use AI to solve environmental crises via circular economies, global warming, or other planetary threats we face.

This wider scope proposed by the author develops as you read into the book. By surpassing the AI mirror, the reflective window aids us in identifying our weaknesses, enabling fixes, and developing solutions for a better future. It uses past intelligence in a more productive manner.

Chapter 1, "AI Mirror", continues this journey by exploring what we got, and how we could use it less destructively. Awareness is key, as the author makes a whistle-stop tour of AI's development path and its impact on humanity. She makes an interesting connection with AI (data) transformers and how scammers abuse this technology. Quick adoption by criminals points to a lack of vision in design. It also supports the book's premise that humanity and AI are conceptually inseparable.

Chapter 2, "Minds, Machines and Gods", starts out with more assumptions made by a generative AI chatbot. In 2023, a chatbot manipulated a man in Belgium into committing suicide. What looked like AI gone-rogue was actually a modelling error by product managers. They instructed it to be programmed to be more emotional, so it would increase user engagement.

Chapter 3, "Through The Looking Glass", continues the exploration of the human condition. It explores the looking glass of AI and how a mirror can seem like a window to the future, when in fact, it's just a small subset of possibilities. It also explores the opportunity-cost of under-using human creativity and imagination.

Chapter 4, "Through The Civilized Keep", takes a journey back through mathematics that created automated numerical constructs. It delves into the design intent for low-level functions in a pre AI age. It then explores how these constructs underpin the current form of AI that competes with upper level human functions like creativity and imagination.

Chapter 5, "The Empathy Box", is an important exploration of why a narrow strip of our communal past is dangerous to use as a template for predicting our future. It has shone a light on the level of racism that AI can sew into any analysis that supports important decisions. It also shines a light on what we need to change to make it better.

Chapter 6, "AI And The Boot Strapping Problem", is an exploration of how traditional scientific caution is out of style for mainstream society, despite the catastrophic risks we communally face. It explores how we need to stop obsessing over our past to make a successful future.

As with most non-fiction books,...

Today sees the publication of Ireland's National Cyber Emergency Plan (NCEP), developed following extensive engagement throughout both the public and private sectors and two sector-specific emergency exercises in 2022 and 2023, as well as lessons learned from the HSE ransomware attack in 2021.

The plan outlines the process by which a National Cyber Emergency is declared, managed and co-ordinated. It ensures that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities during a cyber emergency, and that the Government's approach to serious cyber incidents is clearly explained and communicated to the public.

Cyber security incidents are diverse by their nature and, as such, there are a vast range of potential scenarios where the plan may be initiated. This, in turn, has ensured that a very flexible response process has been in-built during its development.

The activities described in the NCEP rely upon three co-operation modes:

Permanent Mode: Relates to the normal course of business, during which situational awareness is maintained and incident preparedness activities are carried out.

Warning Mode: This is activated when evidence indicates that there is a heightened risk of a 'cyber emergency' type incident emerging in a specific sector or sectors. It involves communications with stakeholders across government and in the private sector as appropriate.

Full Activation Mode: This is activated if an incident occurs that meets the threshold of a national cyber emergency which requires the activation of the National Emergency Co-ordination Group chaired by the NCSC to ensure an effective, co-ordinated multi agency and cross-government response for containment, mitigation and/or recovery.

Speaking on the publication of the plan, the NCSC Director Richard Browne said:

"Responding to cyber security emergencies effectively at a national level is a complex undertaking due to the very wide range of potential incidents, and the diverse nature, extent and consequences associated with these. This plan establishes an architecture for coordinating the Government response in accordance with Irish and European legislation and policy."

The primary audiences for the plan are officials from Government Departments/Agencies, who have a role in the response to national cyber emergencies, and potential victim organisations (providers of essential public and private services), including but not limited to senior officials, communications staff and personnel who have responsibilities relating to incident response within their organisation.

The publication of the plan ensures seamless co-ordination with the national approach to emergency management, as established in the 'Strategic Emergency Management (SEM) National Structures and Framework'. This framework is designed to enhance the protection, support, and welfare of the public in times of emergency by ensuring that fit-for-purpose national structures and procedures are in place to deal with a broad spectrum of emergencies, whether of internal or external origin.

As the plan has been developed in alignment with the Strategic Emergency Management National Structure and Framework, it establishes the structures for co-ordinating a 'whole of Society' approach to preparing for and responding to a cyber emergency.

The plan is available on the NCSC's website: National_Cyber_Emergency_Plan.pdf (ncsc.gov.ie).

Merging the worlds of heavy metal music and cutting-edge technology, Finnish death metal band Lordi has united with leading global technology brand OnePlus to unleash their ferocious new single, Made of Metal. The song, inspired by the OnePlus Nord 4 smartphone's world-first all-metal unibody design in the 5G era, celebrates the recent launch of the device and its upcoming sale on the 8th of August.

Exploding onto streaming services from today, the collision of Lordi and OnePlus brings together two titans of their respective industries. Known for their incredible costumes, the most iconic Eurovision Song Contest win this century, and their punishing live performances, the band boasts over half a million monthly listeners on Spotify. An unholy alliance with OnePlus, renowned for their innovative technology and their Never Settle DNA, makes this a match made in

heaven HELL.

Taking metal to its extremes, the track fuses chainsaw-sharp guitar riffs, stinging keys, and industrial-strength drums to create a Richter-scale rhythm that commands the banging of heads. Lyrics speak to the track's technological inspiration; "Steel hard and screamin' look at me" and "Charged up with power to prevail" reference the OnePlus Nord 4's all-metal unibody design and future-proof capabilities while at the same time celebrating the brand's love of all that is METAL.

The anthemic chorus of "Never settle, I am made of metal" delivers an iron-clad earworm that drills itself into the listener's brain.

Alongside the song's release, the frightening five-some of Lordi have starred in a behind-the-scenes film. The short film follows the band in the studio as they grapple with the novelty of the first all-metal phone in the 5G era and the staggering capabilities that come with it. Star of the show, Mr Lordi, erupts in rage at the existence of plastic throughout the film, vanishing a plastic bottle within a selfie in a single swipe using the OnePlus Nord 4 'AI Eraser 2.0'.

The tagline of 'Never Settle, Made of Metal' rings true as the band unleashed the powerful track, fiercely thrashing their instruments using the phone itself.

Loaded with standout features that are metal to the core, the OnePlus Nord 4 is not your standard smartphone. But metal isn't the only revolutionary detail on offer. Key features include:

Design 'Made of Metal': The OnePlus Nord 4 has an exceptional design. It's the only all-metal unibody phone of the 5G era, bringing the classic strength and sophistication of aluminium back to the world of smartphones.

Revolutionary 5G: This phone breaks a number of barriers with its "True 5G" intelligence thanks to accelerated data speeds and machine learning AI. This makes it the only phone in the world that is made from metal and has uninterrupted HD streaming capabilities.

Future-proof Performance: The OnePlus Nord 4 offers more than 1,600 charging cycles, which is over four years of use, with over 80% of its original capacity. Furthermore, the OnePlus Nord 4 will provide four years of Android updates and six years of security updates.

AI: The OnePlus Nord 4 features AI tools for productivity and creativity, from AI Summarise that summarises emails (perfect for rockstars who don't have time for admin) to AI Eraser 2.0 which removes unwanted people or items from an image - like anything plastic in Lordi's case.

Speed and performance: Speed is key with the OnePlus Nord 4, with a Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 processor with up to 16GB RAM. It also comes with a 5,500 mAh large battery and charges using our SUPERVOOC charging, which means it'll go from 1-100% in just 28 minutes - perfect for a rockstar lifestyle.

AquaTouch: AquaTouch display allows the OnePlus Nord 4 to work perfectly even with wet hands, allowing users to search and stream 'Made Of Metal' from the shower.

Mr Lordi, Lead Singer of Lordi, said:

"M-E-T-A-L. We love metal, and so do OnePlus, which is why we jumped at the challenge of writing and producing a song inspired by the world's onl...

Beta, Ireland's art and technology festival, will return for its second year in the first two weeks of November. Co-founded and supported by The Digital Hub, Beta will host a series of events including creative exhibitions, keynote speakers, interactive workshops and an assembly centred on artificial intelligence in Dublin 8 and beyond.

The 2024 edition of Beta will explore critical themes around the relationship between technology and power including facial recognition technologies, the impact of AI on artists, untold histories and elevating empathy through creative technologies.

The festival's main exhibition, curated by Beta co-founder and director Aisling Murray and curator and Associate Professor at University of Limerick Nóra O'Murchú, features international and Irish artists, whose work will explore how technology can become a tool to resist hegemonic political orders and open new avenues for resistance.

Irish-Iraqi artist Basil Al Rawi is among those who will partake in the exhibition with his artwork House of Memory, which immerses viewers in a digital environment that reveals different image landscapes constructed from archived pictures and stories from Iraqi diaspora who hold the memories of these landscapes. This work connects to ongoing research showcasing the value of XR experiences in developing empathy.

Other artists confirmed for the exhibition include Firas Shehadeh, Jennifer Gradecki and Derek Curry, Sebastian Schmieg, Sam Levigne and Tega Brain, with more to be announced.

Following on from its' successful first year - which saw an audience of nearly 2,000 people attend the festival in 2023, Beta Co-Founder and Director Aisling Murray, is looking forward to welcoming more visitors to the second year:

"I'm excited to bring Beta back to Ireland for a second year where we can explore how the intersection of art and technology enables us to understand more about the world around us. This year, we're conscious of current technological advancements that impact Irish society including conversations about the impact of artificial intelligence on arts and culture, the influence of algorithms on politics and democracy and law enforcement's use of facial recognition technology.

"We're hoping to stimulate conversation about technology policy, ethics and regulation and the important cross-section between art and technology. We want to help people understand how technology and art impacts action, and this year's programme gives a really fertile space to enrich these conversations."

In addition to the main exhibition, a second exhibition - Local Artists Network - will spotlight newly commissioned work by Irish artists including Aisling Phelan and Cailean Finn, among others.

Beta will aim to evoke important discussions on topical areas at the intersection of art and technology, with Kay Watson, Head of Arts Technologies at the Serpentine Gallery in London scheduled to deliver a thought-provoking keynote speech at this year's festival.

CEO of The Digital Hub, Fiach Mac Conghail expands on the concepts at play in this year's festival, stating:

"The Digital Hub continues to support Aisling Murray's vision of Beta as we mark the second festival. We operate at the intersection of technology, creativity and imagination. Beta is about exploring debate and insights into the critical issues facing us as a society as we witness major technological shifts and innovations. Art has a role in challenging us and we hope our audiences will continue to find inspiration throughout the festival."

ADAPT Research Centre will return as the research partner for Beta with their collaborative interactive Ethics Studio, a dedicated exhibit space for visitors, researchers, and artists to meet and explore our relationship with AI using creative methods and interactions.

This year, Beta will offer specific activities as part of the official Science Week programme, including a Digital Democracy Lab with KT4D (Knowledge Technologies for Democracy) dev...

Ireland's electricity grid recorded spikes in demand during some of the summer's biggest sporting events, data from the transmission system operator EirGrid shows.

Last month's All-Ireland football and hurling finals both saw increases of around 80 Megawatts (MW) in electricity demand at points during the GAA showpiece events.

The biggest increase during both games was seen at half time, with demand rising again by 70 MW after the end of the first 70 minutes during Clare and Cork's pulsating encounter in the hurling final. A further spike of 60 MW was seen shortly following the trophy presentation in the Armagh Galway football final.

Peak electricity demand on both Sundays stood at between 3650 MW - 3750 MW, with usage rising noticeably during brief time windows corresponding with stoppages in play during the games as other appliances such as kettles are switched on.

A further spike of around 80 MW was seen shortly after full time in the European Championships football final between Spain and England.

Other major events which did not feature defined breaks and which took place over either a shorter timespan, such as Olympic races involving Ireland's swimming medallists Mona McSharry and Daniel Wiffen, or over a longer period such as the Olympics opening ceremony did not reflect the same defined spikes in activity.

EirGrid operates and manages Ireland's high-voltage transmission system, with electricity then taken from the transmission system and supplied to properties including homes and businesses through the distribution system, operated by ESB Networks.

Latest provisional data published by EirGrid today shows that 28.7% of electricity used in Ireland during the month of July came from renewable sources.

The amount of electricity generated from grid-scale solar reached another new peak of 118 GWh (Gigawatt hours) across the month, meeting 4.5% of electricity demand, up from the previous record of just over 100 GWh in June.

July also saw a number of new peaks recorded for grid-scale solar activity for a one-minute period, with a series of records set and subsequently broken between the 25th (663 MW) and 31st (733 MW) of July. Gigawatt hours (GWh) values reflect energy usage over a longer period of time, while Megawatt (MW) values reflect point-in-time peaks.

More than 21.5% of all electricity used in July came from wind farms, with a total generation of 569 GWh for the month. The remainder of the 28.7% renewables total came from a range of other sources, including hydropower and biomass.

Overall electricity system demand stood at 2,647 GWh for July.

Gas generation accounted for 44.6% of all electricity used over the month, with 20% being imported via interconnection, 5.5% coming from coal, and the remaining 1% from other sources.

EirGrid is responsible for leading Ireland's transition to a low carbon future so that 80% of electricity can come from renewables by 2030, as set out in Government targets.

Diarmaid Gillespie, Director of System Operations at EirGrid, said: "Solar power had another strong month on the electricity grid in July, and this trend will be of increasing importance over the coming years so that we can rely on a reasonably steady supply of renewables at different times of the year."

Commenting on SIMI's July sales data, Geotab Vice President, EMEA, David Savage said: "July is now the fifth month in a row where EV sales in Ireland have fallen, highlighting the need to reset Ireland's EV strategy in Budget 2025 later this year in the hopes of having any chance of meeting the Government's target of having 945,000 zero-emission vehicles on the roads by 2030.

"July is traditionally a bumper month for car sales in Ireland, but drivers are clearing voting with their wallets by opting for petrol and diesel vehicles instead, with EV sales lagging behind. We have to take a step back and look at the international picture, where EV sales are continuing to rise in countries like the UK and ask ourselves why Ireland can't deliver similar growth.

For example, 133,000 new electric cars were registered in the UK over the course of the first five months of 2024, representing a year-on-year increase of almost 10 per cent.

"We need to go beyond a simple restoration of EV grants to their previous levels and explore targeted incentives such as the introduction of a scrappage fee for high polluting petrol and diesel vehicles and bringing in free tolls for electric taxis and light commercial vehicles."

With Ireland on course to miss its goal of having 945,000 EVs on Irish roads by 2030, with the Department of Transport's own projections estimating that there will be only 416,000 EVs on Irish roads at that stage, Geotab has highlighted a range of incentives which the Government could consider to bolster sales of zero emission vehicles.

Geotab believes that considerations could include the introduction of a conversion bonus for older high-emitting vehicles, when that vehicle is being traded in for a new EV. A similar scheme is already in place in Spain, where individuals purchasing a zero-emissions vehicle can obtain a bonus if an ICE vehicle is being scrapped.

According to SIMI, there are over one million vehicles (46.4% of the national car fleet) that are Euro 4 or older (pre-2012) on Irish roads, which represents a significant amount of high emitting vehicles.

A targeted intervention that specifically looks to reduce the number of older ICE vehicles on Irish roads would be worthwhile as even with the original level of EV subsidies that were available, many motorists are clearly unable to transition due to the high costs involved with acquiring an EV.

Geotab has also highlighted the option of amending the Low Emissions Vehicle Toll Incentive, whereby specific categories of zero-emissions vehicles - Light Goods Vehicles and Small Passenger Public Services Vehicles - could avail of free tolls on all toll roads. This would further the business case for specific audiences such as tradespeople.

While there is some momentum behind passenger car EV adoption, industry statistics clearly highlight a lack of take-up by the business community. For example, sales of light commercial electric vehicles only account for less than 3% of total sales for that segment year-to-date.

It is obvious that a series of targeted interventions are required in order to stimulate adoption, particularly for the light goods vehicles and small passenger public services vehicles where equivalent EV models are available.