Ireland secures €1M for AI research facility in Waterford
The Walton Institute at South East Technological University (SETU) has received €1 million in funding to build an advanced AI and high-performance computing facility in Waterford. The investment forms part of a €17 million national AI initiative announced by Ireland's Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
The Walton AI Facility will operate as a shared computing platform open to researchers, companies, and public sector organisations. It addresses a fundamental constraint in AI development: access to processing power.
Computing capacity at scale
The facility will expand the existing Waterford data centre to deliver up to 100 times its current computing capacity. This matters because demand for AI processing power has grown sharply as models become more complex and require real-time data analysis.
The new system will integrate with the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC), allowing Irish researchers and companies to access broader datasets and collaborate across European institutions.
Lowering barriers for smaller organisations
The shared-access model means SMEs and research teams without their own high-end infrastructure can train AI models, run simulations, and analyse data at scale. Applications span healthcare analytics, climate modelling, agricultural optimisation, financial systems, and security technologies.
Dr Deirdre Kilbane, Director of Research at Walton Institute, said the funding "strengthens our ability to build strong research collaborations that support industry and public sector partners in adopting AI with confidence."
Energy efficiency and regional development
The facility prioritises energy efficiency in its design. High-performance computing typically consumes significant power, but the new system aims to deliver greater output with lower energy demand.
The investment also anchors advanced technology capabilities in Ireland's south-east, contributing to a more distributed national innovation landscape beyond Dublin-centred research hubs.
The project supports workforce development and technology transfer alongside infrastructure. Dr Lizy Abraham, who leads the initiative, noted that the ability to train advanced models locally reduces reliance on external systems and accelerates development cycles.
For researchers seeking to build skills in this area, AI for Science & Research offers relevant training in applying AI to scientific domains.
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