On June 1st the 3rd Irish Future Internet Forum will be hosted in Kilkenny Castle, Kilkenny.

This conference will support knowledge sharing between Irish policy makers, funding agencies, industrial players and academic researchers. In doing so, this Forum will address the challenges and, more importantly, the opportunities associated with the emerging Future Internet.

Our current Internet is creaking under the strain of capacity, security and management limitations. Huge capital investments are being made across Europe, the USA and Asia, to create a Future Internet that will meet the unprecedented demands of our knowledge society. This Future Internet is expected to connect anything up to 50 billion devices worldwide in what will then be a true Internet-of-Things.

Ireland must not be left behind as the Future Internet grows a mesh of fixed and mobile services around us. Ireland engaging fully in the conception and development of the Future Internet will ensure:

• Sustainable growth in our ICT sector;
• Crucial support for an ICT-based economy; and
• The elimination of the digital divide between citizens.

Minister Fergus O'Dowd TD will open this years event, with key note speakers from around the globe providing their insights into the "Future Internet". Session Key Note speakers include:

• Stephen McGibbon, European Regional Technology Officer at Microsoft .


• Malcolm Crompton - Previous Federal Privacy Commissioner of Australia and current Director of the International Association of Privacy Professionals


• Michel Riguidel - Head of the Department of Computer Science and Networks, at ENST (Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications)