Building the future: Ireland’s rise in science and technology 

There are a couple of different reasons why Ireland is seeing a rapid economic growth period within science and technology. Firstly, colleges are very tech-focused. There are a lot of technical universities dotted throughout the country in areas such as Dublin, Galway, Cork, Athlone and Donegal. With this spread of colleges, companies are getting the benefit of having technical knowledge in-house rather than having to search for it elsewhere in predominately traditional tech-focused locations like China and London. Another advantage is being an English-speaking country. A lot of the tech giants are setting up their headquarters in Dublin and throughout Ireland due to the ease of communication. Ireland is also well known for being construction industry leaders in Europe. The level of technology, office fit-outs, and the number of offices they have in Ireland will attract big technology companies.

We can’t forget about Ireland remaining within the European Union (EU). EU research and innovation programs like Horizon Europe provide substantial funding for scientific and technological advancements which has led to countless science tech headquarters being set up within Ireland. This includes leading global clients such as Pfizer, AbbVie, and GSK. Many tech companies and industry giants are establishing their headquarters in Dublin.

Sustainability is at the forefront of many corporations' strategies, and thankfully so. A lot of buildings in Ireland are WELL enabled which is a requirement coming from the USA. As a result, there are a lot of the leading US architects completing work in Ireland, in which Cundall is involved. These include Technology client office, Barcelona, Kurraba Life Sciences Campus, and Confidential Technology Client. Sustainability wise, there’s a big push in Ireland for sustainable buildings, which links back to sustainability courses offered in colleges. In Ireland there are several sustainability courses which qualified engineers could complete; this sustainable design element is heavily influenced with our engineering design.

Government policy has also been another influence. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is a government body which invests a lot of money in sustainable designs for laboratories, pharmaceuticals, and life science buildings. Part of the investment includes heat pumps, facilitating end users applying for refurbishment grants for their sustainable journeys. Pharmaceutical companies such as Grange Castle in the outskirts of Dublin is another example; there’s a huge investment due to being IDA funded – foreign-directed investment. A few of the pharmaceutical companies are producing materials and exporting products such as vaccines bringing a huge amount of investment to the industry and the region.

Ireland does need to watch out for rising power prices as that could become an issue if it is not brought under control. Rising costs may divert funds from research and development to cover operational expenses, potentially slowing down innovation. Despite this, Ireland has been able to truly develop a process-oriented culture. Due to its high-quality education and professional ethos, along with government incentives (such as tax breaks and grants) and a cost of living that allows for reasonable wages. Ireland offers a great mix of incentives, skills, and costs which places Ireland in an ideal position for tech and science companies.