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Atlantic Technological University, a member of the EU GREEN European University Alliance, is hosting a seminar on the state of water quality in Ireland and highlighting collaborative efforts to protect aquatic ecosystems for future generations. Water resilience is crucial to the survival of humans and our environment.
Recognising the urgency of this issue, ATU has curated a special event (June 19th, 6 pm - 8 pm, main lecture hall, ATU Sligo) where leading Irish organisations will present participatory actions targeting nature-based solutions and wider conservation actions on our waters, all of which actively involve local communities.
The EPA will introduce the event with a presentation on 'Ireland's Water Quality: Evidence and Measures'. This will be followed by presentations from Inland Fisheries Ireland, Waterways Ireland and Local Authority Waters Programme.
The event is being held as part of the 2024 EU Green Week, focussing on water resilience. Water is a vital shared resource to be passed down from generation to generation - essential for people, the environment, and for a just, sustainable, and resilient economy. #WaterWIseEU.
ATU collaborates with eight other universities from Spain, France, Italy, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Germany, and Portugal in the EU GREEN Alliance, led by the University of Extremadura, to form a 'super campus' with more than 158,000 students and 18,000 staff. With a shared commitment to responsible growth, inclusive education, and environmental stewardship, these universities have come together under the banner of EU GREEN to amplify their impact and drive positive change.
Professor Frances Lucy, ATU Lead for EU Green, said, "This is an open invitation to come and hear about the challenges facing our inland waters and how communities and agencies can share resources and best practices to make real change. Our EU GREEN researchers from partner universities will also be present, and their national waters will also be under stress. The event will be a great opportunity to engage and share learning."
The presentations will be followed by a Q&A session, providing an interactive platform for attendees to engage with the presenters, discuss practical solutions, and explore ways to implement similar initiatives in their own communities.
This event is a unique opportunity for researchers, policymakers, and community leaders to come together and share knowledge on issues facing our water systems. It underscores ATUs commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration in addressing environmental challenges.
We invite all interested parties to join us in this important dialogue on water resilience. Please click here to register for the event.
For more information, please contact eugreen@atu.ie.
More details on EU GREEN can be found here: www.eugreen.eu.

Paul Turley, Senior Director at ServiceNow draws from recent consumer research to share insights into what Irish businesses should prioritise to capture consumers' attention.
Businesses are under significant pressure due to concerns about increasing costs and shifting consumer values. As our recent research found nine in ten Irish consumers are less loyal to brands now than they were two years ago. This waning brand loyalty means it's time to get serious about customer experience.
It's not always feasible to compete on price, which makes experience an important differentiator. Put simply, if you're not delivering a standout, seamless service that meets increasing buyer expectations, your customers will seek alternatives. The onus sits with business leaders to find out exactly what a top-tier experience should look like - and how to deliver it.
What Irish consumers expect from brands
The findings from our survey of 1,000 consumers in Ireland and a further 14,000 across the EMEA region, tell us that:
The top three things customers want to see organisations prioritise are:
Price reductions (44%)
Improved aftercare (35%)
Updating websites and apps to be more user-friendly (30%)
The most important aspects of a customer experience today are:
Offering quick, real-time support (87%)
Offering multiple engagement options (chatbots, emails, telephone, and social media (85%)
Remembering previous service interactions (68%)
The most popular modes of engagement for specific tasks:
Self-service guides when requesting product information (22%)
Phone calls with customer service representatives when problem solving or troubleshooting (39%)
Chatbot (GenAI)/online chat with human customer services for asking a quick turnaround question (16%)
What businesses need to prioritise
As per the ServiceNow Consumer Voice Report 2024, we discovered three key areas for businesses to focus on in order to tackle the brand loyalty crisis.
1. A combination of tech and human support
When asked what element of customer service consumers consider most important, the ability to resolve issues easily came out on top in Ireland (95%). Fast response times were also considered a top priority, with 96% of Irish consumers believing speedy service important.
Generative AI (GenAI) technology has a key role to play here. Self-service solutions like virtual agents or chatbots can empower round-the-clock, near-instant issue resolution, helping meet the current demand for fast, seamless outcomes. Organisations must tread carefully though. About one-third of Irish consumers (28%) don't trust AI to provide accurate answers.
Similarly, nine in ten Irish consumers consider a choice of engagement methods to be an important element of service. Solely relying on tech-powered service delivery is a mistake. Consumers want a blend of both high-touch and high-tech service offerings to satisfy their desire for speed, while reserving the option to speak to a human when necessary.
1. Flexibility to switch between channels
Our research shows customers often want different modes of connection at different moments in the buyer journey. Most consumers would choose to engage with a chatbot before phoning a human representative when seeking general company information or product details.
When problem-solving or troubleshooting an issue, however, 38% of consumers in Ireland would rather phone a human customer service representative. Offering a choice of channels is a great starting point when looking to drive long-term customer relationships. It's just as vital that these channels are straightforward - and that they're easy to switch between when desired.
Organisations looking to provide the best possible experience for customers in the region must be mindful of changing demand. Being able to swap out technology for a human touch when an issue arises is key to building long-lasting customer loyalty.
1. Tech with personalisation
Consumers in Ireland value a strong customer experience underpinned

The 16th cycle of Going for Growth came to a close at a special celebration in Dublin on Tuesday, June 11th.
Supported by Enterprise Ireland and KPMG, Going for Growth is an award-winning programme for ambitious female entrepreneurs determined to grow their businesses.
A total of 55 female entrepreneurs completed the six-month Going for Growth programme this year. Another 30 female also competed the Starting Strong programme, which is for more recently established, ambitious businesses. They will be celebrated at a separate ceremony later this week.
At the beginning of the cycle, the Going for Growth participants had a turnover in excess of €93m, employed over 800 people and more than half of them were exporters. All set ambitious targets and built on these impressive numbers over the last six months.
Thanks to the continued support of Enterprise Ireland and KPMG, Going for Growth is free for participants who are supported on their growth journey by voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs.
This year's voluntary Lead Entrepreneurs for Going for Growth were: Anne Cusack, formerly Critical Healthcare; Jeananne O'Brien, Artizan Food Co.; Louise Phelan, Phelan Energy Group; Monica Flood, formerly Olas IT; Oonagh O'Hagan, Meaghers Pharmacy Group, serial entrepreneur Hannah Wrixon, most recently co-founder of Kella Hannah Wrixon, and Tara Beattie, Prepsheets.com.
See www.goingforgrowth.com for more information.

Maynooth University's Innovation Value Institute has announced a pioneering initiative, the 'Data Governance Roadmap for Ireland', launched by Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Seán Fleming TD, at this year's IVI Summit in Maynooth University.
As one of the leading forums for data and digital discussion, the summit brought together international experts, policy leaders, practitioners and researchers over three days to shape the digital agenda on innovation and research.
This roadmap aims to foster responsible governance of data and artificial intelligence, leveraging data value as the basis of a sustainable information-enabled and data-informed society.
The roadmap will support fair and responsible value sharing from data across society and the development of data capabilities on a national, organisational and individual level, the alignment of data initiatives and standards, and the development and promotion of data literacy.
The roadmap will contribute to benefits that span organisations, individuals and wider society in a fair, responsible and human-centred way, that empowers users to share and use data while ensuring the protection of data and privacy concerns. Data and data governance are the lifeblood of the AI revolution, driving innovation and sustainability.
Innovative data governance is the enabler, providing the necessary foundation, guidelines and infrastructures to harness the power of data responsibly, ethically and effectively.
Speaking on the initiative, Minister Seán Fleming said: "I am proud to launch and strongly support this Data Governance Roadmap for Ireland. It represents a clear vision for responsible governance of data and artificial intelligence, laying the foundation for a sustainable, data-informed society driven by research and innovation."
Professor Eeva Leinonen, President of Maynooth University, highlighted the power of collaboration, stating: "This initiative highlights how important universities are in shaping our digital future through research, education, and partnerships. The roadmap sets a new standard for handling data responsibly, and showcases Maynooth University's commitment to Ireland's digital leadership."
Professor Markus Helfert, Director of the Innovation Value Institute (IVI) at Maynooth University, emphasised the significance of the initiative, stating: "The Data Governance Roadmap for Ireland is not just a strategic necessity but a critical step towards a future where data serves as a cornerstone for national development and prosperity, supporting technological advancements while safeguarding the rights of data owners and data sharers."
Developed in collaboration with experts in data governance, NSAI and members of the EMPOWER team across participating SFI Research Centres, the roadmap adopts a unique three-tiered approach, encapsulating individual, organisational, and national perspectives. It addresses the critical need for robust data governance structures while fostering an environment conducive to innovation and economic growth.
Aligned with EU Digital Decade policy targets and several other critical EU initiatives such as the Data Governance Act, Data Act and AI Act the initiative aims to bridge skills gaps and develop new competencies to tackle growing challenges across various sectors, including sustainability, security, and education.
The roadmap reflects Ireland's commitment to maintaining leadership in information, data and digital innovation, setting highest standards for governance, promoting transparency, and ensuring equitable distribution of digital benefits that digital and data creates. It sets new benchmarks for success aligned to Ireland's ambition to lead and set standards in Europe, inspiring other nations to follow suit.
The report is available at this link: https://ivi.ie/dgri/.

As the peak travelling season begins, the Irish aviation industry is launching a declaration to combat unruly passenger behaviour in airports and on flights as part of the #NotOnMyFlight campaign. The safety of flights, passengers and crew can be affected by the unruly behaviour of a small minority of passengers.
All Irish airlines and airports, An Garda Síochana, the Irish Aviation Authority, AirNav Ireland, ground handlers and international aviation organisations have all come together to tackle the issue of disruptive and dangerous behaviour, which affects passengers and staff almost every day of the year.
There has been a 3-fold increase in passenger unruly behaviour reported between 2019 v 2023. Unruly behaviour can include intoxication, aggressive or inappropriate behaviour as well as not following the commands of flight crew, who are there to ensure passenger safety.
The declaration sets out how the aviation industry aims to combat the issue of unruly behaviour on flights. The vast majority of passengers comply with instructions and show respect to staff and other passengers.
However, the signatories of this Joint Declaration recognise the need to actively promote good passenger conduct due to the adverse impact that disruptive and unruly behaviour can have on the safety of a flight and passenger experience.
The signatories of the joint declaration will not tolerate any behaviour that has the potential to disrupt the passenger experience, impact the safety of the cabin crew and airport staff or create a safety risk to the aircraft and those on board the flight. This includes physical and sexual assault, threatening and abusive behaviour and generally disruptive acts.
Angela Willis, Assistant Commissioner, DMR of An Garda Síochána, welcomed the Declaration:
"We all want to ensure that air travel is pleasant and, most importantly, safe for all users. While the vast majority of people that use air travel have the highest regard for fellow passengers, unfortunately, there are a small minority whose behaviour at airports or on aircraft can have a significant impact on the experience and safety of other passengers or flight crew.
An Garda Síochána is delighted to sign this declaration and to work with our partners to combat disruptive and dangerous behaviour which will not be tolerated."
A Ryanair spokesperson said:
"Ryanair is pleased to support this Irish aviation industry declaration to combat unruly passenger behaviour on aircraft. The safety and wellbeing of our crew and passengers is Ryanair's No.1 priority and we try to eradicate unruly behaviour onboard our aircraft. We will continue to work closely with An Garda Síochána, the IAA, Irish Airports and the wider aviation industry to eliminate all forms of unruly behaviour in airport terminals and onboard our aircraft."
According to Kenny Jacobs, CEO of daa, the operator of Dublin and Cork airports:
"We've great passengers at Dublin and Cork airports, but like every airport in the world, there's sometimes a few bad eggs whose behaviour impacts everyone. We want our airports to be enjoyable and stress-free for passengers, and we're pleased to see the sector coming together to tackle the issue of unruly and dangerous behaviour.
Everyone needs to play their part, and daa will continue to work closely with our Airport Police teams, our airline partners and An Garda Síochána to ensure unruly passengers are dealt with, and our airports are safe and enjoyable places for all."
Lynn Embleton, Chief Executive of Aer Lingus, commented on the charter:
"At Aer Lingus we put safety first, there is nothing more important. We understand that a comfortable and respectful environment is key to ensuring your journey is a pleasant experience. Aer Lingus does not tolerate unruly behaviour of any kind, and in the rare cases where unruly behaviour does occur, we have strict measures in place to ensure that the safety and comfort of our customers and crew is maintained."
Jim Gavin,

HP Inc. has unveiled a new study with Oxford Economics revealing enthusiasm among global leaders to use technology including AI to advance key impact goals.
The study of business executives and government officials in 10 countries found 3 out of 4 leaders believe technology is key to expanding economic opportunity (76%) and that AI will help drive progress towards sustainability and social impact goals (76%).
Further, business leaders are either already using AI or plan to in the next 1-2 years for goals such as increasing access to digital education (90%), workforce development (89%), and workforce diversity (86%).
"AI's reach holds great promise to help HP accelerate our sustainable and social impact goals," said Val Gabriel, Managing Director at HP Ireland. "From how we responsibly build AI PCs for first-time users to data scientists who use our workstations to help local farmers build more resilient businesses, this is the technology that can move businesses and our communities forward."
Accelerating digital equity for 150 million people by 2030
About one-third of the global population remains offline, costing the world billions of dollars in lost GDP each year. The digital divide has been growing since the advent of technology, and AI could exacerbate these disparities if intentional action isn't taken.
"Everyone deserves an opportunity to access the tools needed to thrive in the digital economy," said Gabriel. "We know technology can be a great equaliser and a powerful tool to drive progress. Yet, to truly narrow the digital divide in our rapidly evolving world, we must also equip individuals with the skills to use technology."
In its latest Sustainable Impact report released today, HP announced it has accelerated digital equity for more than 45 million people since 2021, bringing the organisation nearly a third of the way to its goal of reaching 150 million people by 2030.
The rapid progress is a result of innovative partnerships with key organisations that create tailored solutions for communities. HP pursues impactful programs, strategic investments and partnerships that prioritise those mostly likely to experience the digital divide.
In 2023, HP:
Supported digital equity solutions developed by ten organisations in Malaysia, South Africa and Mexico with the Digital Equity Accelerator, such as improvements in digital literacy to access employment, access to educational hardware and software in schools and development of digital platforms to support improved health outcomes. In total, the Accelerator reached 6.4 million people in 2023.
Launched more than 100 Digital Hubs in partnership with World YMCA to support digital programming and literacy. For example, the West Orem Digital Hub, provided by YMCA Houston in Texas aims to increase community access to educational, economic, and social opportunities for young people, support services for families, and digital literacy courses for aging members of the community. More than 500,000 individuals were reached globally in 2023.
Opened two NABU HP Creative Labs in the U.S. and the Philippines, equipping artists and authors with technology to write and illustrate hundreds of books for children in local languages each year. The free books have helped 1.9 million children in 2023 build confidence, connection to culture and literacy skills, a key building block to participation in the digital economy.
Building skills amid the rise of AI
Both business and government officials report lack of skills as a top barrier to meeting key organisational goals, only economic volatility ranked higher.
Skills-building is a core piece of HP's digital equity approach. As a result, HP is expanding its goal to enrol 2.75 million users in the free skills-building program HP LIFE. The program from the HP Foundation has already enrolled and enabled more than 1.2 million users to access economic opportunities or start businesses.
HP is undertaking new initiatives to expand responsible access and us