Article by Jamie Meegan,
Programme Lead,
Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet
Published 15th April 2025
On World Quantum Day – 14th April 2026 – Quantum Ireland marked its second event since its initiation. Hosted by IDA Ireland, the event brought together voices from across industry, academia and government.
Quantum Ireland – officially launched on 14th April 2025 – is a working group of key stakeholders spanning academia, industry, and government, poised to drive the growth of a dynamic local quantum ecosystem in response to Ireland’s national Quantum 2030 strategy.
Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet, a proud supporting organisation of Quantum Ireland, had the opportunity to be involved in organising the event, and it was genuinely exciting to see the level of momentum building in this space.
From early on in the day, one thing was clear – there is strong alignment across the ecosystem. The sessions on funding and supports for quantum in Ireland highlighted the range of backing available through IDA, Enterprise Ireland and Research Ireland.
What stood out wasn’t just the level of investment, but how coordinated it is. There’s a real effort to support organisations all the way from early research through to commercialisation.
The academic side was equally impressive. Hearing from teams in MTU, Trinity and UCD, it’s clear that Ireland is contributing to meaningful advancements in quantum research. Just as importantly, there’s a strong connection between academia and industry, which is critical if we want to translate that research into real impact.
As the day moved on, the conversation shifted towards use cases, and this is where things got particularly interesting. Contributions from Citi and Mastercard showed that quantum is no longer just theoretical – we’re starting to see practical applications emerge, especially in areas like optimisation.
Combined with insights from IBM on the path from algorithms to applications, it really brought home the point that we’re moving closer to unlocking the true potential of quantum computing.
A big theme running through the afternoon was talent. Again and again, speakers came back to the same point: the technology is advancing quickly, but the real challenge now is building the skills to support it. There’s a clear need for people who understand quantum – not just at a research level, but across programming, business and applied use cases.
That’s something we’re very focused on in Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet. We’re working to build accessible pathways into quantum upskilling, helping people and organisations start engaging with this space.
As part of that, we’re currently taking applications for our Quantum Programming Foundations course, designed as a practical entry point for anyone looking to get started. At the event, Emil Dimitrov from ICHEC presented an overview of the course, sharing insights into its structure and its role in developing practical quantum skills.
More than anything, what stood out on the day was the energy in the room. From the morning networking sessions right through to the close, there was a real sense that Ireland is at an important point in its quantum journey – and that with the right collaboration, investment and focus on skills, there’s a real opportunity to lead.
Unlock New Opportunities with Quantum
Quantum computing is one of the most exciting, innovative and dynamic areas emerging in technology and has the potential to revolutionise many other areas of ICT. Stay ahead with Technology Ireland ICT Skillnet.
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