SIRO calls for Budget 2027 to support Gigabit Connectivity for all by 2028

• Intervention now needed if Government is to hit its target of Gigabit Connectivity for all by 2028.
• SIRO Pre-Budget Submission calls for support to address outstanding connectivity deficits.

Broadband network operator, SIRO, in its Pre-Budget Submission has called for the Government to use Budget 2027 as an opportunity to address outstanding national connectivity deficits, particularly broadband blackspot areas and low fibre broadband adoption by Irish business. There has been significant progress over the last decade in ensuring Ireland has high-speed, high-quality connectivity across the country. Comreg data indicates that 86% of Irish premises are now able to access fibre to the premise (FTTP) broadband; network operators’ fibre broadband rollouts are expected to complete over the coming 12 months; while National Broadband Ireland has been announcing their build completion in counties across Ireland over recent months. However, 5-10% of all premises nationally (100,00 to 200,000 premises), may be left unable to access full fibre broadband once current commercial rollouts are completed. The high cost of building network to these premises has made them uncommercial. Despite this, the Government’s own Digital Connectivity Strategy has committed to Gigabit Connectivity for all by 2028. To meet this commitment, SIRO has called on the Government in Budget 2027 to include funding for a Network Resilience and Diversity Investment Programme. The programme would help connect remaining broadband blackspots; improve network resilience, strengthen international connectivity links and support climate-resilient communications infrastructure. SIRO has also called for the establishment of a Copper-to-Fibre Business Migration Initiative led by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. With low levels of businesses currently using a fibre-to-the-premises connection (13% according to Comreg’s latest market data), many businesses continue to rely on copper-based broadband services, limiting access to the speed, reliability and resilience benefits of full-fibre connectivity. The initiative would provide support to SMEs to adopt fibre broadband technology at their business premises. Financial supports to cover their upgrade costs would be provided as part of an extension of the existing Grow Digital Scheme already funded by the Department. This scheme support businesses trade online. Under an expanded Grow Digital Scheme, eligible businesses would receive support for the costs associated with migrating from copper to fibre broadband, including a 100% first-year capital allowance on qualifying expenditure. Commenting on its Budget Submission, SIRO CEO John Keaney noted: “Ireland has made enormous progress in rolling out full-fibre broadband, but some strategic gaps remain. Up to 200,000 premises may still be unable to access fibre broadband, while many Irish SMEs continue to rely on outdated copper networks. “SIRO’s Budget 2027 proposals offer practical, cost-effective measures to address both challenges. By investing in broadband blackspots and supporting business to adopt fibre, Government can help Ireland achieve its Gigabit Connectivity for All ambition and ensure our business are digitally advance and remain internationally competitive”, added Mr. Keaney.

Over the past decade, Ireland has made remarkable progress in expanding full fibre broadband. Today, 86% of Irish homes and businesses can access fibre connectivity, thanks to significant investment by industry and Government. However, the next phase of Ireland's digital journey is not about whether fibre is available. It's about how widely it is adopted.  Infrastructure alone does not create economic value. Roads only improve productivity when people use them. Renewable energy only reduces emissions when it powers homes and businesses. In the same way, fibre broadband only delivers its full return when households and organisations adopt it and use it to transform the way they work, innovate and compete.   Digital Transformation and Competitiveness  Digital infrastructure has become a key factor in how countries compete for investment, innovation and talent. High levels of fibre adoption send a strong signal that businesses and communities are equipped to embrace digital technologies, support innovation and operate at scale. For investors considering where to establish operations, connectivity is no longer simply a utility, it is part of the enabling environment that underpins modern business.  The World Economic Forum argues that digital infrastructure is no longer simply a technology investment, but a determinant of national competitiveness. As intelligent infrastructure, AI and connected services become more prevalent, the countries that fully embrace modern digital networks will be better positioned to attract investment, foster innovation and support long-term economic growth.  As other European countries move from network rollout to widespread adoption, the conversation is shifting from where fibre is available to how effectively it is enabling economic growth and unlocking social dividends. Ireland has an opportunity to be a European leader in this next phase, but only if homes and businesses fully embrace the infrastructure that has already been built.    Business Productivity  Every day, businesses rely on cloud platforms, video collaboration, large file transfers, AI-powered applications and digital customer services. When organisations continue to operate on older connectivity technologies, such as copper, they often adapt their working practices around network limitations rather than around business opportunities.  That might mean scheduling large uploads overnight, limiting cloud adoption, avoiding bandwidth-intensive collaboration tools or accepting slower workflows as "normal." These individual compromises may appear small but multiplied across thousands of businesses they represent a significant productivity cost.  As Ireland seeks to improve national productivity, particularly amongst our domestic companies, digital infrastructure becomes an increasingly important economic enabler, not simply a utility. The Government's Digital Ireland strategy explicitly identifies secure, resilient, future-proof digital infrastructure as essential for supporting enterprise growth, innovation and long-term competitiveness.     Sustainability  As Ireland looks to meet its climate and sustainability ambitions, the conversation around fibre adoption should also consider the environmental impact of the networks that underpin our digital economy.  Legacy copper networks were designed for a different era. Over time, copper cables are more susceptible to weathering, corrosion and degradation, particularly in Ireland's wet climate. This results in more frequent maintenance, repairs and component replacement, all of which require engineering visits, vehicle journeys and, in some cases, excavation work. Extending the life of ageing infrastructure therefore carries an environmental footprint that often goes unnoticed. The FTTH Council Europe notes that accelerating the transition from legacy copper networks to fibre can reduce maintenance activity, lowering both energy consumption and associated CO₂ emissions.  There is also the question of energy efficiency. Copper networks rely on electrical signals that weaken over distance, requiring powered cabinets, amplifiers and other active equipment throughout the network to maintain service. Fibre, by contrast, transmits data using pulses of light through glass strands, requiring significantly less energy to carry the same volume of data. As demand for digital services continues to grow, improving fibre adoption can help reduce the energy required to support Ireland's connectivity needs.  The environmental benefits extend beyond day-to-day operation. Fibre optic cables are made primarily from silica, one of the world's most abundant natural materials, and are designed to provide decades of service with low levels of degradation. This reduces the need for frequent replacement and contributes to lower material consumption over the lifetime of the network.  Ireland has already demonstrated that it can deliver world-class digital infrastructure. Fibre adoption should no longer be viewed simply as a telecommunications issue. Every new fibre connection strengthens Ireland's digital economy, supports future innovation and helps ensure the country realises the full return on one of most important infrastructure investment of recent decades.     So, What’s Next?  Prioritise fibre adoption. A concerted effort by Government and industry to drive home the message to consumers and business that the ‘motorways’ of fibre are built and available. This critically entails ensuring that there is a fuller understanding of the benefits of fibre connectivity over older, less fit for purpose technologies.   Support key groups in fibre adoption. Data shows older cohorts and Irish SMEs are slow to switch off copper and onto to full fibre. Let’s understand their concerns, obstacles and address them.   This might include greater information and assistance for older people or practical and financial supports for businesses to make the transition. SIRO has called for a national taskforce to drive forward this work. Bringing together industry and Government to work through challenges and implement solutions makes sense.   Ireland has achieved a huge amount in building out fibre to the home broadband networks across the country over the last decade, but we now need to leverage that digital advantage for the benefit of our economy and society.....that task is only just beginning. 

The way in which we think about fibre broadband today is typically associated with faster streaming, smoother video calls or quicker downloads. However, over the next twenty years, fibre will evolve from being a telecommunications service to becoming one of the foundational utilities of modern life. As technologies such as artificial intelligence, immersive computing, smart energy systems and connected healthcare become increasingly embedded in our daily lives, the demand for resilient, high-capacity digital infrastructure will only intensify. Soon, the question will no longer be whether households need fibre today; instead, we will question whether our homes will be ready for the digital demands of tomorrow.

The Smarter, More Independent Home

Today's smart homes are largely focused on convenience: connected lights, smart speakers and security cameras. But the next evolution of the connected home is far more ambitious. Homes will increasingly function as intelligent digital ecosystems, continuously exchanging data between appliances, electric vehicles, batteries, renewable energy systems and the wider electricity grid. This shift is already underway. In Germany, the energy company Sonnen  connects homes equipped with rooftop solar, battery storage and home energy management systems. These systems continuously monitor electricity generation, household demand, weather forecasts and energy prices to automatically optimise how and when energy is used. What makes this possible is the constant flow of real-time data between the home, energy providers and neighbouring properties. As more households adopt connected energy technologies, the volume of data being exchanged will continue to grow. Full fibre networks provide the reliability, capacity and resilience connectivity needed to support these always-on digital ecosystems, helping homes become active participants in a smarter, more sustainable energy network.

Immersive Experiences Will Become Mainstream

The way we work, learn and collaborate is set to evolve dramatically. Advances in virtual reality and spatial computing are transforming digital experiences from flat video calls into immersive environments where people can interact almost as naturally as they do in person. The technology is already emerging. Cisco's Webex Hologram platform allows people in different parts of the world to appear as lifelike three-dimensional projections, enabling teams to collaborate around digital models as though they were standing in the same room. Today, these experiences are being used in specialist industries such as engineering and manufacturing, but they offer a glimpse of what working from home could look like in the years ahead. Instead of joining a traditional video call, remote workers could step into shared virtual workspaces, collaborate on three-dimensional content and interact with colleagues in ways that feel almost indistinguishable from being together in the same office. Similar technologies could also transform education, allowing students to participate in immersive classrooms from home, and make virtual healthcare consultations more interactive and engaging. Experiences like these require enormous amounts of data to move between users in real time, with virtually no delay. As immersive applications become part of everyday life, demand for low-latency, high-capacity connectivity will grow significantly. Full fibre networks provide the performance needed to deliver these experiences reliably, making them a key enabler of the next generation of home connectivity.

Healthcare Will Move Closer to Home

Healthcare is also becoming increasingly connected, with technology enabling more care to be delivered safely from people's homes. As populations age and healthcare systems face growing demand, remote monitoring, virtual consultations and assisted living technologies are expected to become an increasingly important part of healthcare delivery. This transformation is already happening around the world. Health technology company Biofourmis provides AI-powered remote patient monitoring, using wearable medical devices to continuously track vital signs and alert clinicians to subtle changes that may indicate a patient's condition is deteriorating. By identifying problems earlier, clinicians can intervene before a hospital admission becomes necessary. Closer to home, Ireland's Health Service Executive has introduced virtual wards that allow certain patients to receive hospital-level care from their own homes while remaining under continuous clinical supervision through connected monitoring technologies and virtual consultations. Looking further ahead, European initiatives such as the Hospital at Home programme are exploring how intelligent home ecosystems, including ambient sensors, fall detection and connected health devices, can help older adults live independently while remaining securely connected to healthcare professionals. Every remote consultation, continuous monitoring device and AI-powered health alert depends on the secure, uninterrupted transmission of data between patients and healthcare professionals. As more healthcare moves into the home, fibre broadband will become a critical piece of health infrastructure, enabling reliable, real-time care while helping people remain independent for longer.

Building Homes for Future Generations

Unlike legacy technologies that require continual upgrades to meet growing demand, fibre networks possess enormous capacity that can be expanded through advances in electronics rather than replacing the underlying infrastructure itself. The fibre being installed today is expected to support technologies and services that have not yet been invented. This is why access to fibre is increasingly becoming a defining characteristic of future-ready homes. As previous generations constructed homes with electricity and plumbing to support modern living, today's housing developments must prioritise incorporating the digital infrastructure that future generations will depend upon. Are you ready to future-proof your home? Search your Eircode today at SIRO.ie

In this week’s Business Post, SIRO CEO John Keaney reflects on Ireland's journey to becoming ‘fully fibred’ with the rollout of fibre broadband networks across the State. Discusses SIRO’s work in bringing future proofed connectivity to new developments and the role open-access wholesale networks can play in unlocking cost savings in housing delivery, whilst driving competition and consumer choice. Why the next challenge, to unlock fibre’s maximum economic and societal value, is ensuring homes and businesses make the transition from legacy copper to full fibre and why a national copper switch-off roadmap is fundamental to that objective.

Read the full interview here. 

 

As Ireland assumes the Presidency of the Council of the European Union today, the coming months will be pivotal in shaping the future of Europe's digital infrastructure landscape. As an active member of FTTH Council Europe, SIRO welcomes the Council's call for the Irish Presidency to prioritise two key legislative proposals: the Digital Networks Act (DNA) and the Cybersecurity Act (CSA), both of which will play a critical role in determining whether Europe can achieve the connectivity, competitiveness and resilience ambitions set out in the EU's Digital Decade Policy Programme. The Digital Networks Act proposes one of the most significant reforms of European telecommunications policy in recent years. At its core, the legislation seeks to create the regulatory conditions necessary to accelerate investment in next-generation networks, promote effective competition and support the transition away from legacy copper based to fibre infrastructure. For countries such as Ireland, where substantial investment has already been made in full-fibre deployment, the framework established by the DNA will be critical in determining how quickly the country can complete the transition to future-proof connectivity. For SIRO, the proposed copper switch-off framework represents an important opportunity to accelerate the adoption of full-fibre infrastructure across Ireland and Europe. Continuing to operate legacy and modern networks in parallel fragments investment, increases operational costs and delays the realisation of the economic, social and environmental benefits that full-fibre connectivity can deliver. Establishing a clear and predictable migration pathway will help ensuring consumers and businesses can benefit from future-proof connectivity. As FTTH Council Europe Vice President for Public Affairs, Francesco Nonno recently stated, "The copper switch off proposed in the DNA is a balanced measure to give access to fibre to everyone, everywhere”. Alongside the Digital Networks Act, the proposed Cybersecurity Act will play a vital role in strengthening the resilience and security of Europe's telecommunications infrastructure. The legislation and its prioritisation currently reflect the increasingly strategic importance of digital connectivity to Europe's economy and society. As telecommunications networks become ever more critical to sectors such as healthcare, education, government services, artificial intelligence and industry, no one argues that ensuring their resilience and security is essential. However, from telecom operators’ perspective, it is also essential that the Cybersecurity Act does not undermine investment in fibre networks, deployment and Europe reaching its Digital Decade targets. Equally, this policy must be fair, proportionate to the needs it is required to meet and prioritise evidence and risk-based decision making. To do this, before any CSA measures are enacted a comprehensive assessment of the scale, costs, and operational impact is required. This will better ensure that an even balance is struck between protecting European security with the need to ensure that investment in EU telecoms networks continues and that end users have choice and competition in the broadband market. As Ireland leads negotiations on these two important files, there is a significant opportunity to help shape a regulatory framework that supports investment, strengthens security and accelerates Europe's transition to full-fibre infrastructure. For SIRO, the priorities are clear: creating the conditions to accelerate fibre adoption, supporting the managed retirement of legacy copper networks and ensuring that Ireland’s future connectivity infrastructure remains secure, resilient and globally competitive.

The past 16 months have been a turbulent time within the regulatory sphere for sustainability. The EU’s Omnibus amendment has stopped the clock on key directives and has drastically reduced their scope. The two directives that were most impacted were the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). The EU Taxonomy has also undergone a number of changes. SIRO were originally in scope of the CSRD on account of our turnover and balance sheet. The Omnibus has increased these reporting thresholds, now only organisations with a headcount exceeding 1000 employees may be scoped into the directive depending on their financial indicators. This has reduced the number of entities in scope by roughly 80%. While many organisations have welcomed the changes and simplification, others are worried this may result in a backslide on corporate sustainability obligations. With projections saying we may exceed 1.5C of warming within the next decade (UNEP, 2025) some feel as if we are decelerating from climate action during the most critical window of opportunity that we have to safeguard our future. We cannot stop the clock on climate change, so why are we stopping the clock on legislation. Many also worry that the slowdown will have adverse effects on human and labour rights in the value chain. Like many organisations we were deep into our preparations for compliance with the directive when the Omnibus was announced. We had just commenced our Double Materiality Assessment (DMA), an essential prerequisite for CSRD reporting. We understood that we wanted to adapt our reporting efforts following the Omnibus amendment, not pause reporting efforts completely. One available option available was to pivot towards the VSME. This is the voluntary structure for SMEs, it has been designed by EFRAG, the author of the original ESRS standards included within the CSRD. The VSME offers an opportunity for organisations no longer in scope of the CSRD to continue with targeted reporting efforts aligned with the original directive to satisfy the increasing need for disclosure from banks, investors, customers and other supply chain actors. The VSME has since been formally recommended by the European Commission. Since 2021 we have voluntarily produced an annual sustainability report which has been made publicly available on our company website. These reports highlight the actions we have taken to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals which we have deemed applicable to our organisation and the industry we operate in. We have also used these reports to publish key ESG performance indicators including emissions, decarbonisation levers and gender pay information. Our new reporting approach is extended to include the VSME disclosures within our existing sustainability report format. We have included disclosure for both the basic and comprehensive modules of the VSME within an appendix of our sustainability report. The remainder of the report has been structured around the original ESRS headings. We have also used the results of our DMA to target reporting efforts. The VSME does not require such assessment, instead it relies on an ‘if applicable’ approach to disclosures, while this gives greater concessions to reporting entities, it is vague and is not a standardised approach. The DMA provides a strong methodological approach to determine which sustainability topics have material risks, opportunities or impacts, using this as a basis for our VSME reporting ensures we are providing a comprehensive insight into material topics. The VSME is not a regulatory requirement, but it is a strategic opportunity, it allows us to satisfy the needs of users of sustainability reports in a way that is both flexible and proportionate to internal resources and capacity. By incorporating the DMA within voluntary reporting frameworks, it has enabled us greater oversight of risks and opportunities, it also enables us to stay ahead of the regulatory curve. The EU has now released a draft of their new Voluntary Standard (VS) which seeks to update the VSME. Having just completed the public feedback stage it is now posed for commission adoption in the second half of 2026. The Omnibus was a significant U-turn on EU sustainability policy; it has the potential to undermine the European Green Deal at a critical time when we should be mobilising as much support for the green transition as possible. Voluntary reporting standards can help to plug the gap that has been left in the wake of the Omnibus, while legislation may set the precedent, business ambition is stepping up to set the pace. The most adaptable businesses who are thinking about long term security and resilience will be moving ahead with sustainability efforts regardless of if there is mandatory obligation to do so or not.

St. Mary’s Secondary School in New Ross, Co. Wexford has been named the 2026 Golden Bee Champion as part of the Pollinator Project, supported by fibre broadband operator, SIRO, and delivered by Biodiversity in Schools. The award recognises schools that have shown exceptional creativity, collaboration and long-term commitment to supporting biodiversity and protecting Ireland’s pollinators. The school was recognised for its “New Ross Wildflower Project”, a community-led initiative that expanded beyond the school grounds to create pollinator corridors throughout the town and surrounding area. Faced with limited on-campus space for biodiversity projects, students at St. Mary’s Secondary School partnered with more than 40 town businesses such as McDonalds and fishing shop Oaklands Lake, the New Ross District Council, Tidy Towns and other local community groups, GAA clubs and primary schools to deliver the project. Each organisation committed to providing dedicated areas on their grounds to growing native Irish wildflowers. Students partnered with 'Connecting to Nature', a South-East based family-run business dedicated to restoring local biodiversity by producing and supplying high-quality, native wildflower seeds. To support the project, the company provided participants with discounts on the purchase of native wildflower seeds. To create greater local awareness of the project and its importance to biodiversity, students designed and distributed project signs for each site, building visibility and local pride. In addition, students produced seasonal planting and maintenance guides for the groups involved in wildflower planting across the town. This guidance was supported by John F. Kennedy Arboretum, with its Head Gardener Kevin Naughton providing valuable advice to students. The announcement of the winner of the Golden Bee Award marks the official end of The Pollinator Project 2026.  However, while the official activities for this year are winding down, the pollinator-friendly spaces, pesticide-free pledges, and biodiversity awareness planted in schools and communities across Ireland will continue to grow. 2026 marked another very successful year for the Pollinator Project overall.  Almost 300 schools took the Pollinator Pledge committing to stop spraying pesticides and create no-mow areas for biodiversity, creating 50 acres of pledged wildflower meadow space nationwide. Through workshops, school activities and biodiversity initiatives, the programme directly trained 8,960 Pollinator Ambassadors and reached a total of 83,019 students across the country. The Pollinator Project forms part of ongoing efforts to support the objectives of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan by helping schools and communities create practical, lasting habitats for Ireland’s pollinating insects. Announcing the winner, SIRO’s Director of People and Culture, Blanaid O’Regan, said: “As Ireland’s leading 100% fibre broadband network operator, SIRO is committed to connecting communities not only through digital infrastructure, but also by supporting initiatives that create lasting positive impacts where people live, learn and work. The Pollinator Project is a great example of how local action can deliver meaningful environmental benefits while empowering the next generation to become champions for biodiversity. We are proud to support a programme that has now engaged more than 83,000 students nationwide and to see schools such as St. Mary’s Secondary School demonstrate how creativity, collaboration and community leadership can help create a more sustainable future for everyone.”  Director of Biodiversity in Schools, Mark Nolan, added: “St. Mary’s Secondary School took a challenge and turned it into a community-wide movement for biodiversity. By creating pollinator corridors across New Ross and involving businesses, clubs, schools and community groups, the students demonstrated the real impact young people can have when they work together with their local community. Their project is a fantastic example of how schools can drive meaningful environmental change, even when starting with limited space.” Speaking about the project, Mr Fitzharris, Biology teacher from St. Mary’s Secondary School said: “A couple of years ago we turned and unused area into a wildflower garden. Because we are limited with areas on the school grounds that we can use to expand the wildflower garden we came up with the idea of the New Ross Wildflower Project. Each student on the committee last year approached 2 companies/groups and convinced them to dedicate a small patch of their land to biodiversity. This year’s committee continued to expand the project and as a result we have grown the biodiversity in the town and surrounding areas far more than we ever could do on the school grounds alone. To win such a prestigious award is something the students and school are very proud of."   About SIRO: SIRO was founded in 2015, as a joint venture between ESB Group and Vodafone. SIRO provides a 100% full fibre network, the most advanced broadband network in Ireland, which uses the ESB’s existing electricity network to bring connectivity to each premise – homes and businesses. To date, SIRO has brought its’ network to over 700,000 homes and businesses across Ireland, in over 143 cities and towns, with presence in every county in Ireland. SIRO is a wholesale operator; it partners with over 20 retailers (Sky, Vodafone, Virgin Media, Digiweb, Pure Telecom etc.), who resell its service to end users. Sustainability is a key strategic pillar for SIRO, and the company is committed to using its business as a platform for positive environmental and social impact. As part of this commitment, SIRO has partnered with Biodiversity in Schools to support the Pollinator Project, helping schools across Ireland create pollinator-friendly spaces, promote biodiversity awareness and empower students to take practical environmental action within their local communities.

Ireland’s financial services sector is entering a new phase of regulatory scrutiny under the EU’s Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA). Since coming into force in January 2025, the regulation has made digital resilience a legal requirement for banks, insurers, payment providers and investment firms operating across the EU. At its core, DORA recognises a simple reality: financial stability now depends on the strength of the technology infrastructure supporting everyday operations. For financial organisations, compliance is no longer about policies or reporting frameworks. It is about ensuring the systems that underpin payments, trading platforms, customer services and internal operations can continue functioning during disruption. That places connectivity firmly on the agenda for leadership teams. Modern financial services are built on continuous access to cloud platforms, data centres, real-time analytics tools and third-party ICT providers. Whether supporting transaction processing, regulatory reporting or hybrid workforces, these services rely on stable, high-capacity connections. Full fibre broadband provides the reliability and performance required to support these environments in ways legacy copper networks cannot. DORA specifically strengthens requirements around ICT risk management and third-party dependencies. Many firms now rely on external providers for critical services, from hosted infrastructure to cybersecurity platforms and payment technologies. If connectivity between a firm and its providers is constrained or unstable, resilience planning becomes significantly more difficult. Fibre connectivity helps ensure consistent performance across these interconnected systems and reduces the risk of disruption at a local operational level. The regulation also introduces more rigorous expectations around incident detection, response and recovery. Financial institutions must demonstrate they can continue operating through outages and cyber events and restore services quickly if disruption occurs. This requires infrastructure that supports rapid failover, secure remote access and uninterrupted communication between teams and systems. Fibre networks are designed to deliver the stability and scalability needed to meet these expectations. Events such as the global CrowdStrike outage in 2024 highlighted how quickly ICT failures can ripple across financial systems. In a sector where downtime can affect markets, customers and counterparties simultaneously, connectivity resilience is no longer a background consideration. It is part of operational risk management. As financial institutions continue strengthening their operational resilience frameworks, connectivity should be recognised as a core part of compliance readiness rather than a background technical consideration. Full fibre connectivity provides the reliability, scalability and performance needed to support these requirements, helping organisations reduce risk exposure and maintain continuity. For financial businesses operating in Ireland, ensuring access to high-quality fibre infrastructure is a practical step toward supporting resilient, compliant and future-ready operations. SIRO has responded to the growing connectivity and resilience requirements facing financial services organisations by offering affordable enterprise-class fibre connectivity solutions delivered over its 100% fibre network. SIRO’s enterprise FTTP services provide dedicated symmetrical fibre connections, meaning upload and download speeds are equal, supporting faster cloud backups, secure access to cloud-based platforms, seamless video conferencing through platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom, and the reliable movement of data between offices, remote teams and third-party ICT providers. Designed to support operational resilience and business continuity, SIRO’s enterprise fibre services are backed by a robust seven-day enterprise-class service level agreement (SLA) and are delivered across the ESB infrastructure, providing a fully diverse network presence. Businesses can choose from symmetrical speeds ranging from 100Mb/s to 5Gb/s, with the ability to upgrade remotely as operational requirements evolve. SIRO also offers LightPulse, a full fibre product tailored for SMEs, providing 1 Gigabit download speeds and boosted 250 Megabit upload speeds alongside a service level agreement designed to support continuity of service.   To learn more about broadband, visit www.SIRO.ie and search your Eircode today to find out if SIRO is available for your business.

A nationwide survey of schools across Ireland has found that an increasing number no longer want pesticides used on school grounds, with almost half banning the use of pesticides. Key drivers for this ban include a concern for the health of students and staff on ground schools and a strong desire to protect the biodiversity which live and use the school outdoor environment. A survey on the use of pesticides on school grounds carried out by Biodiversity in Schools and responded to by 158 schools found that 49.4% of respondents reported avoiding pesticides entirely, while many others said they were actively reassessing spraying practices and exploring alternative methods of weed and grounds management. At the same time, some schools acknowledged that moving away from pesticides can create tensions within school communities, particularly where there are differing views around maintenance or concerns around additional workloads. Several respondents noted that clearer national guidance from the Department of Education and stronger top-down support for pollinator-friendly management practices would help schools transition more confidently away from spraying. The findings come as Ireland marks World Bee Day 2026 on 20 May, a day celebrated globally which aims to raise awareness about the critical role bees and other pollinators play in sustaining ecosystems, ensuring food security, and protecting biodiversity. The survey was carried out as part of the Pollinator Project, a nationwide initiative delivered by Biodiversity in Schools in partnership with fibre broadband operator SIRO. The online survey sought to better understand current spraying practices and attitudes towards pesticide-free school management across Ireland. Schools that reported avoiding pesticides pointed to a wide range of alternative approaches already being used successfully. Of the schools that said they do not use pesticides, 44% referenced manual methods such as hand-weeding, strimming, power washing and moss removal as their primary approach to grounds management. A further 15 % highlighted the use of organic solutions, including vinegar, garlic, bread soda and coffee grounds, while 22% pointed to longer-term preventative measures such as companion planting, bark mulch, weed membrane, strategic plant selection and low-maintenance garden layouts designed to naturally reduce weed growth. The remaining respondents reported avoiding pesticides altogether but did not specify the methods used. Many respondents also highlighted the important role school caretakers, gardening clubs and wider school communities play in helping drive biodiversity-friendly change. Schools noted that committed caretakers were often central to successfully reducing or eliminating sprays, particularly where additional maintenance or alternative approaches were required. Additionally, a strong theme to emerge from the survey results was the work underway by school leaders to change people's mindsets and attitudes towards weeds or wildflowers to view them as something positive and beneficial vs. a nuisance. According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), pesticides are a major source of environmental pollution, contaminating soil, water and air while contributing to biodiversity loss. The Pollinator Project, which is sponsored by leading Irish broadband operator SIRO, supports schools across Ireland in creating pollinator-friendly habitats through actions such as developing no-mow meadows, planting pollinator-friendly flowers and encouraging biodiversity education within school communities. Biodiversity in Schools CEO, Mark Nolan commented:

“These findings are positive in that they show that almost half of schools surveyed have moved away from using pesticides. However, with a considerable number still using these pesticides, it highlights the work needed to remove these chemicals entirely from all Irish school grounds. This survey also highlights the additional measures that needed to make our school environment pesticide free. These include greater awareness amongst school management and parent associations of the risk’s pesticides pose to humans and nature; greater information amongst school decisionmakers on what the biodiversity friendly alternatives to pesticides are and finally, more advice and practical supports from Government Departments to schools on how to become pesticide free.”

SIRO Director of Corporate Affairs, Amanda Glancy noted:

“SIRO is pleased to support the ongoing work of Biodiversity in Schools in protecting and enhancing the natural environment in and around Irish schools. With both World Bee Day and it also being National Biodiversity Week taking stock of attitudes towards pesticides is important. The survey shows many schools are conscious of the importance of protecting biodiversity and more encouragingly taking positive actions to achieve it. The message from the survey is clear. A lot of schools are working to eliminate pesticides in school grounds, and many others want to do so but need the confidence, advice and encouragement from stakeholders to do so.”

Broadband network operator, SIRO, has today announced that its fibre-to-the-premise broadband network (full fibre) has now passed 700,000 premises and is available in towns and cities in every county in Ireland (Republic). Today’s milestone of its network reaching 700,000 premises is part of a wider national objective of creating a full fibre Ireland by 2028. However, with more than 85% of all Irish premises now able to access full fibre broadband, SIRO has called for the switching off Ireland’s existing, outdated copper broadband network to be fast-tracked. The 700,000th premises passed by SIRO’s network is Bray-based print and embroidery specialist, Visual Print. The company was established in 2001 and offers a wide range of printing services, catering to both small and large volume orders. It specialises in direct screen printing, DTF printing and garment embroidery, operating from two warehouse in the Solus Industrial Estate in Bray, employing a staff of 11. Fibre broadband connectivity is a critical enabler of Visual Print’s operations used for transferring large design files, online ordering platforms, maintaining networked printers and Cloud-based print management. While Visual Print has switched off its copper-based broadband and moved to SIRO’s full fibre broadband, a worrying high number of Irish businesses are yet to make the move. Comreg data indicates that only 12% of business using broadband have a full fibre connection. Fibre to the Premise broadband is accepted as offering faster speeds and a more reliable and resilient connection than copper which can be slower, less dependable and more vulnerable to both storms and cybersecurity issues. Switching off Ireland’s existing, outdated copper broadband network will ensure the national standard of connectivity enjoys greater resiliency, is future-proofed, and better equipped to support Ireland withstand challenges such as climate change or the impacts of the current global energy crisis. The process of copper switch off is gathering pace across Europe, with switch off completed or well advanced in France, Spain and Sweden and the U.K.’s commencing next January. However, Ireland does not yet have a national target date for when switch off will start or complete, even though the conditions for beginning the process now exist. This continued reliance on a broadband technology no longer fit for purpose, notwithstanding full fibre alternatives, leave Irish businesses exposed in areas such as the adoption of AI and other new technologies, productivity and profitability. Commenting on Visual Print’s recent connection to SIRO’s network, Paul Doyle, Managing Director of Visual Print, said:

“Since establishing Visual Print more than twenty-five years ago, we have continued to invest in our equipment, facilities and services to ensure we can meet the needs of our customers as the business has grown. With SIRO’s fibre broadband, we have seen a significant improvement in how we manage and process orders internally. Faster, more reliable connectivity has streamlined communication between our team, improved file handling and workflow efficiency, and allows us to provide quicker updates and more accurate lead times to our customers. This has had a direct and positive impact on both our productivity and overall customer experience”

Commenting on the milestone, John Keaney, SIRO CEO, said:

“Our network now reaching more than 700,000 homes and businesses is another significant milestone for SIRO, while also actively contributing to the overall national objective of a full fibre Gigabit Ireland by 2028. Reliable and future proofed full fibre broadband connectivity is a key foundation for the continued growth and productivity of Irish business. As Visual Print’s experience demonstrates, switching off copper and switching on to fibre broadband, delivers tangible benefits for Irish business. Equally, as the global energy crisis continues, more businesses and their employees will look to work and collaborate online to reduce high energy costs, requiring stable, dependable fibre broadband and a conscious move away from outdated copper-based technologies. Government have the capacity to act by setting an ambitious target date for completing copper switch off, such as 2030, and using levers at its disposal to encourage switch off. With key stakeholders already indicating a willingness to collectively work together, a real opportunity now exists to achieve it,” added Mr. Keaney.

SIRO was founded in 2015, as a joint venture between ESB and SIRO, and since then it has been building its full fibre broadband network across 153 towns and cities.