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Positioning the South-East at the Heart of the Digital Economy

Advertorial as Appeared in Local Newspapers 16th November 2013

Dr Willie Donnelly TSSGKilkenny is to lead the way in creating a sustainable, smart economy for the South East. Here Dr. Willie Donnelly, Director of the Telecommunications Software& Systems Group, (TSSG) which will have a research and innovation centre based in the proposed newAbbey Creative Quarter on the Smithwick's Brewery site - outlines his vision for a smarter region.

We have to be smart and innovative in order to achieve sustainable economic growth. I am proud to be leading efforts in the south east that attract multinational industries, high potential start-ups and entrepreneurs to the region.

TSSG in Waterford Institute of Technology was established in 1996 by Eamonn de Leastar, Mícheál Ó Foghlú and myself, (and later Barry Downes). It is now internationally recognised as a centre of excellence in next generation internet and mobile services, and has become one of the leading research and development hubs in Europe.

Since startup we have engaged with over 425 partners across 35 countries, and have generated more than €85 million euro of national and European research funding. We have created partnerships with leading ICT multinationals such as Cisco, Intel and IBM. The TSSG has supported the creation of over 10 companies and 600 high technology jobs in the south east and now employ 120 full-time research staff.

In 2012 we established a TSSG/ArcLab centre in St. Kieran's College in Kilkenny in collaboration with Kilkenny County Council. In its first 9 months in operation the centre created 15 engineering jobs. We will soon outgrow this space, and are to move to the proposed new Abbey Creative Quarter on the Smithwick's Brewery site.

Our facility in n Kilkenny will be a hub for next generation internet development for companies in the finance, banking, and agribusiness sectors.

I see the development of the Smithwicks site as an important development in the TSSG/ArcLabs innovation model. The exciting masterplan for the Smithwicks site, unveiled by the local authorities last week, is historic and will drive investment to Kilkenny and the South-East region. It shows remarkable vision and the TSSG is delighted to be part of it.

In its 17 years in existence the TSSG has spawned a cluster of internationally traded mobile companies in Waterford. The TSSG in Kilkenny will act as a catalyst for attracting multinational industries, high potential startups and entrepreneurs to the region. It is particularly appropriate that the Smithwicks site, which was an important regional employer, will be a platform for the creation of a new wave of 21st century high technology industries in the new digital economy.

In its 17 years in existence the TSSG has spawned a cluster of internationally traded mobile companies in Waterford. The TSSG in Kilkenny will act as a catalyst for attracting multinational industries, high potential startups and entrepreneurs to the region. It is particularly appropriate that the Smithwicks site, which was an important regional employer, will be a platform for the creation of a new wave of 21st century high technology industries in the new digital economy.

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