Technology Ireland, the Ibec group representing the technology sector, has published its Policy Priorities Roadmap for 2025 - “Unlocking the Future” which outlines the priority areas for the sector for the coming year and underscores the industry’s commitment to shaping a competitive and innovative future.

Una Fitzpatrick, Director, Technology Ireland said:  “The Technology sector welcomes the commitment in the Programme for Government to position Ireland as a leader in the digital economy and to fully realise the economic potential of the digital and AI revolution.

“The sector echoes these ambitions and strongly supports commitments to recognise the importance of digital infrastructure to the Irish economy.

“Ireland hosts a diverse ecosystem of indigenous and multinational technology companies, from innovative startups to scaling ventures, to established enterprises and industry leaders, that contribute significantly to the Irish economy.

She added that Technology Ireland’s policy priorities serve as a blueprint outlining the strategic measures that must be taken to sustain and enhance Ireland’s position as a global leader, particularly at a volatile time for the sector.

“The key to unlocking Ireland’s competitiveness and realising Government ambitions lies in these strategic areas, providing a clear pathway to a future where all sectors can benefit from the digital transformation.”

Brendan Kiely, CEO ThinScale Technology Ltd and Technology Ireland Chair, said: “Technology Ireland’s policy priorities reflect a shared vision and contain commitments of the sector in shaping a digital landscape focused on continued progress and long-term economic prosperity.

“Collaboration among stakeholders will be essential to ensure the development of agile, evidence-based strategies that will secure a prosperous sector and truly unlock the future.

“The Programme for Government’s commitments, including working to deepen the EU Single Market and examining options to enhance the R&D tax credit to reward innovation and digitalisation in Ireland, are strongly welcomed by the sector.

Kiely also says that over the course of the Programme for Government, technologies and the role of digital will continue to scale and grow.

“Ensuring the Programme remains agile, particularly when coordinating work on digital files over the coming years, will be essential.

“These considerations are clearly reflected in our priorities for 2025.”

The document outlines the sector’s priorities for the year ahead across six key pillars and offers actionable recommendations to sustain a thriving ecosystem, ensuring Ireland’s ongoing success in the global digital economy:

• Regulatory stability and coherence: through a ‘National Digital Strategy Action Plan’, the appointment of a Minister of State for Digital Delivery with interdepartmental responsibility, ensuring effective and resources regulators and Departments, and the promotion of a cybersecure nation 
• Strategic growth and business development: by addressing infrastructural capacity constraints, ensuring and promoting cost competitiveness, integrating and embedding existing legislation, and establishing SME Regulatory Impact Assessment measures to map future developments. 
• Global leadership through robust digital policy and open digital trade: byleveraging EU and international trade partnerships, promoting and furthering Ireland’s global influence, recognising Ireland’s important role in upholding GDPR core concepts, and committing to investment and competitiveness.
• Digital entrepreneurship, development, creation and management: byensuring founders are encouraged to scale, promoting long term investment in entrepreneurship, enhancing the R&D tax credit, and ensuring accessible and robust procurement frameworks and GovTech enhancement.
• New, emerging and transformative technologies: toappropriately designate funds under the National Training Fund, promote and protect the transformative role of AI and LLMs, realise public sector cloud adoption, and commit to ambitions to double the semiconductor sector. 
• Future proofing the sector: by prioritising and funding digital literacy and skills, reviewing and aligning labour, talent and the future of education, implementing robust ESG strategies, and considering the role of data centres in the twin transition.