New chair and director appointed to Ibec’s Telecommunications Industry Ireland (TII) trade association

• Three Ireland CEO Elaine Carey takes over as chair
• Strong focus on positioning of sector as key critical infrastructure

Telecommunications Industry Ireland (TII), the Ibec group that represents electronic communications in Ireland, has announced Nicola Cooke as its new director to lead the body and Three Ireland CEO Elaine Carey as its new chair of the TII Council.

Members of TII include providers of broadband, broadcasting, cable, fixed, mobile, satellite and wireless internet as well as tower companies, network providers and equipment manufacturers. They include large industry players such as Three, Vodafone, Sky, Eir, and Virgin Media.

Firms in the telco sector have collectively invested approximately €5 billion in Irish communications infrastructure over the past eight years. The sector provides high quality employment to 24,000 people in Ireland, and supports thousands more jobs through the €2.7 billion it pays annually to suppliers in Ireland for various goods and services.

Nicola Cooke, TII’s new director, is a former journalist and PR consultant who previously headed up corporate communications with NBI (National Broadband Ireland) and Bus Éireann. Elaine Carey, the new chair of the TII Council, is CEO of Three Ireland, and was formerly Chief Commercial Officer for Three Ireland and Three UK.

TII Chair Elaine Carey said:

"I’m privileged to be taking up the position as chair of TII at such an important time in Ireland’s ongoing digital transformation. Our mobile and broadband networks are world-class, and that is down to the significant investment that telecommunications operators and broadband providers have put into them. These networks are critical infrastructure for our country. I look forward to working with Nicola, the other members of TII, political stakeholders, and others so that we can continue to enhance the capacity and capability of Ireland’s communications networks."

TII Director Nicola Cooke said:

“Given most of us use electronic communications in our daily lives – be that for work, learning or leisure – the sector really is the backbone support of economy and society. There has been a 460% increase in data traffic on the telecoms network over the last eight years, which is phenomenal growth, and the reason that investment in the networks is critical. Some 270,000 people work in digitally intensive sectors here, and Ireland is home to around 30% of data held in the EU.

“Almost every sector will need to digitise and embrace the benefits and efficiencies of AI, if they are to remain competitive into the future. It is the Government’s stated ambition for Ireland to be at the forefront of European and global digital developments, and we want them to work more closely with TII to achieve this. Resilient and secure networks and upgraded infrastructure are key to this; some planning laws for masts and towers date back 30 years and need updating.”

Supporting the digital agenda

SMEs’ e-commerce activity, which depends on the telecoms network, accounts for 21% of the turnover of Irish SMEs, the highest in the EU. Approximately 99% of the population can avail of 5G and 4G coverage, and remote working and learning enabled by the telecoms network allows employers to draw on a bigger pool of potential employees.

In addition, 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. This also significantly boosts regional development and the sustainability of rural Ireland.

Audiovisual Ireland

Cooke has also been appointed as director of Audiovisual Ireland, the Ibec representative group for the screen industry (animation, independent film and television production, postproduction, television broadcasting and VFX). The sector sustains approximately 16,000 full-time equivalent jobs (FTEs) and has an estimated Gross Value Added in excess of €1 billion.

It contributes to regional employment, is a key part of national cultural life and profiles Ireland as a destination for tourism.

She added: “I am delighted to begin work with Screen Ireland and our fantastically talented member companies in championing an innovative and competitive industry for organisations involved in the screen content creation industry here, and to help facilitate their ambition.”