European BCO Delegation heard that Ireland’s National Broadband Plan is on time and on budget National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company responsible for delivering the Irish Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) in the intervention area, today hosted a delegation from EU Member States. The session featured the rollout of fibre broadband to rural Ireland under the[…]
Granahan McCourt’s National Broadband Ireland hosts EU Broadband Competence Offices Network as NBP rollout passes 250,000 milestone
By Tom Webb Business, Tech Jun 20, 2024
David McCourt: Ireland needs to play a leading role in writing global AI rules to benefit us all
By Tom Webb Business, Tech Jun 06, 2024
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the most urgent technology issue of our times. Every week brings a major inflection point, whether it’s OpenAI, Google, Anthropic or any of the other hundreds of big organisations racing to develop parts of an unprecedentedly powerful engine that is already starting to reshape societies. We’ve never seen potential like it.[…]
Granahan McCourt and Asterion Partner to Deliver Ireland’s National Broadband Plan
By Tom Webb Uncategorized Jul 12, 2022
12th July 2022, IRELAND: Granahan McCourt, the company behind National Broadband Ireland [‘NBI’], is pleased to announce its partnership with Asterion Industrial Partners [‘Asterion’], a pan European long term infrastructure investment manager, to deliver Ireland’s National Broadband Plan. Agreement has now been reached for Asterion to acquire the interests held by Oak Hill Advisors, Twin[…]
Forget the shamrocks: Ireland must bring a global tech policy to America this St Patrick’s Day
By David McCourt Business, Lifestyle, Startups, Tech Apr 03, 2022
There is only one country in the world that has a standing meeting with the United States of America – Ireland. And there is only one European country with every major global tech company based within its borders – also Ireland. While the Taoiseach typically meets with the US president each year to celebrate St[…]
If the U.S. Doesn’t Embrace Universal Broadband, It Will Fall Behind Peers in the West
By David McCourt Business Mar 01, 2022
In Ireland, we tend to keep a close eye on the goings-on in America. On many occasions, we benefited from the ideas and innovations of our allies in the United States. But right now, it’s time for the U.S. to follow Ireland’s lead by embracing a comprehensive, inclusive, and technologically-forward broadband plan to ensure every[…]
Five things Ireland must do to maintain its competitive advantage
By David McCourt Business, Lifestyle, Startups, Tech, Uncategorized Jan 13, 2022
Every now and then, it’s worth taking a moment to look at ‘Ireland Inc’. How is it performing? What have we accomplished in the last 12 months? What did we fail at? And what should we really be focused on now? Ireland is a small country that has played an outsized leadership role over the[…]
Long-term investment doesn’t just help the investors, it also helps the people who use the company’s products
By David McCourt Business, Lifestyle, Startups, Tech, Uncategorized Nov 11, 2021
Ireland has been reading about yet another prospective financial transaction at the much bought, much sold, Eir. The telecoms company recently announced an intention to sell nearly half of the company’s fibre network in Ireland, a transaction that would net the business significant capital. However, this time it might be good news not just for the[…]
The late Walter Scott Jr was a giant who never lost sight of what was important
By David McCourt Uncategorized Sep 30, 2021
Just when the world needs more than ever to know what a capitalist is supposed to look like, we lost one of the best This week we lost a giant. About 40 years ago, I was lucky enough to meet, and then partner with, Walter Scott Jr, who died peacefully last weekend at his home[…]
Washington’s inaction is Ireland’s opportunity
By David McCourt Uncategorized Sep 07, 2021
A few months ago, I wrote in this newspaper that the inaction in Washington DC coupled with the European Union’s new Digital Services and Digital Markets Acts would cause global confusion and complication for both tech companies and consumers. The world and the global markets desire clear rules and clear paths forward, not complexity and confusion. Since I wrote that, matters have become worse. With Washington’s inaction, individual States have stepped in to fill the void in setting[…]
Ireland Benefits if Biden Stops Regulating the Past and Builds a Transatlantic Partnership
By David McCourt Uncategorized Aug 07, 2021
America and the EU account for over 40% of the world’s GDP and outsize regulatory and technological clout. However, this dominance could disappear as fast as American and Europe’s industrial strength did unless both sides immediately rebuild the transatlantic rift caused mostly by Mr. Trump. Let’s talk about the space that underpins the future of[…]