Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports, has welcomed confirmation of €5 million in EU funding for Ireland’s AI Factory Antenna, along with the signing of a Hosting Agreement for a new national supercomputer – both with strong Galway influence.

The AI Antenna will be led by the Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC) at the University of Galway, with Galway partners PorterShed and Innovation Technology AtlanTec Gateway playing key roles. The project will help small businesses, researchers and public bodies develop and test AI tools, access expert support and connect into European AI networks.

The Antenna will support practical uses of AI across areas like health, climate, energy and transport, making cutting-edge technology more accessible to Irish innovators. It will link to similar AI hubs in France and Luxembourg and will work with innovation partners around the country.

The signing of a Hosting Agreement by University of Galway and the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) marks a key step towards delivering a new national supercomputer. The facility will support major research projects and innovation across science, technology and public services.

“These are major wins for Galway and for Ireland,” said Minister Canney. “They show how regional leadership can drive national progress in digital, AI and research.”