Ireland invests €10 million in quantum communication network

Quantum technology experts in Ireland will work together on a project aimed at future-proofing communications infrastructure across Europe [1].

Research from universities and institutes across Ireland will bring together their expertise to examine how quantum technologies can be used to secure Ireland's infrastructure and data transmissions. The project is particularly timely given the spate of cyber attacks affecting Irish organizations in recent years, including the ransomware attack on HSE last year [2].

01 10 million euro, 30-month project

The €10 million IrelandQCI project is part of an EU-wide quantum communications infrastructure program called EuroQCI and is funded by the Irish government and the EU. The 30-month project will be led by the Waterford-based Walton Institute, which is part of the South East Institute of Technology.

Dr. Deirdre Kilbane of the Walton Institute.

Dr. Deirdre Kilbane, director of the Walton Institute, hailed the project as "the first step in establishing a quantum Internet in Ireland. She added, "It is an exciting time for Waterford and the South East to play such a critical role in securing data and communications in Ireland."

Other partners include researchers from Trinity College Dublin and the Tyndall Institute at University College Cork, with support from University College Dublin and Maynooth University. All are members of the Science Foundation Ireland's Future Networks and Communications Research Centre, and other participants in QCI Ireland include the Irish Centre for High End Computing, HEAnet and ESB Telecom.

02Integrating Quantum Devices into Traditional Communications Facilities

The experts will collaborate and integrate secure quantum devices and systems into traditional communications infrastructures.

They will do this by enhancing ESB Telecom's fiber optic network with an additional layer of security: all based on quantum physics principles such as quantum key distribution (QKD). qkD is a secure communication method for exchanging known cryptographic keys between shared parties; the communication method uses the properties of quantum physics to exchange cryptographic keys in this provable way and to guarantees security.

The IrelandQCI team will build the QKD infrastructure along the main network backbone from Dublin to Cork via Waterford, using quantum channels integrated with existing classical fiber optic systems. The team will also test 16 advanced use cases for quantum security technologies with stakeholders in the public, industrial and academic sectors.

The project will see experts engaging with these stakeholders to introduce them to the potential of quantum technologies: this will be done specifically in the form of lectures, training, workshops and visits to quantum technology labs.

The QCI Ireland team also hopes to further build the country's quantum technology ecosystem.

We are fortunate to have such a high quality and committed group of experts in the quantum field in Ireland," said Ossian Smyth, Ireland's Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications. Developing Ireland's first quantum communications infrastructure network will bring quantum technology one step closer and will help Irish businesses, public bodies and the general public to start building the skills needed to benefit from the quantum Internet."

Reference links:

[1]https://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/quantum-tech-communications-ireland-eu-irelandqci-project

[2]https://www.siliconrepublic.com/machines/quantum-computing-science-physics-ireland-ucd