John Regan, ESB Telecoms Managing Director, recently attended a demonstration of quantum-secure communication at Dublin City Council headquarters. The event was held at the Quantum and Answers trailer, a mobile engagement unit designed to bring quantum technologies to life for the Irish public.
The demonstration highlighted how quantum technologies can strengthen cybersecurity for local authorities. It was delivered as part of the Smart Docklands programme, a joint initiative between Dublin City Council and the CONNECT Centre, supporting advanced technology trials.
The Future of Cybersecurity: What Is Quantum?
Ireland Quantum Communication Infrastructure (IrelandQCI) is a €10 million national initiative aimed at establishing a quantum communications infrastructure for Ireland as part of the EU‑wide EuroQCI programme. Co‑funded by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the European Commission, the project involves 26 EU member states and seeks to protect critical infrastructure from emerging cyber threats driven by advances in quantum computing.
IrelandQCI is developing a quantum key distribution (QKD) infrastructure along a major backbone network connecting Dublin to Cork via Waterford. This will integrate cutting-edge quantum technologies with existing classical fibre systems to future-proof Ireland’s communications networks against cyber threats
ESB Telecoms’ Role in IrelandQCI
ESB Telecoms is a key consortium partner in IrelandQCI, providing the fibre infrastructure required to deploy the QKD network. Our resilient and diverse wholesale fibre network—routed along electrical transmission pathways—offers enhanced security, robustness and protection against outages and fibre‑related incidents.
Our unique fibre infrastructure makes ESB Telecoms an ideal partner for the IrelandQCI project, allowing us to support secure, low‑latency communications for critical sectors including healthcare, finance, energy, and emergency services.
Early adoption of quantum‑secure networks will play a vital role in safeguarding national infrastructure today and for future generations.
This is The Future. Connected
Pictured (l-r): John Regan, ESB Telecoms, Managing Director, Sinéad Whelan, IrelandQCI project partner, Walton Institute, SETU, Professor Dan Kilper, Director CONNECT Centre, TCD.