Telecoms Contribution to Ireland
The ‘Telecoms: Contribution to Ireland’ publication prepared with assistance from Ibec’s Economics Unit highlights the impact, contribution and significance of the telecommunications sector. It underscores the sector's role in enabling economic growth and in keeping friends, families and communities connected.
The publication outlines key facts on Ireland’s telecoms sector including:
- €5 billion in network capital investment by industry over the last eight years
- 24,000 working in the sector
- 460% increase in data traffic on the telecoms network over the last eight years
The publication outlines key supports by Ireland’s telecom sector including:
- Coverage: Approximately 90% of the population have 5G coverage and 99% have 4G coverage.
- SMEs: e-commerce, which depends on the telecoms network, accounts for 21% of the turnover of Irish SMEs, the highest in the EU.
- Labour market impact: Remote working enabled by the telecoms network allows employers to draw on a bigger pool of potential employees in an extremely tight labour market.
- Carbon footprint reduction: The replacement of copper by fibre in the telecoms network is enabling 40- 60% energy efficiency gains while the use of solar and wind energy to run telecommunications masts will also help to reduce carbon emissions.
- Relocation: Most of those considering relocation within Ireland due to their experience of remote working enabled by the telecoms network are interested in relocating to regional and rural locations.
- Education and training: Students across Ireland, including those in remote areas, can use the telecoms network to access quality online education, training resources and courses.
