Researchers from the CONNECT Centre at Trinity College Dublin, working with IrelandQCI project partners, have successfully demonstrated quantum-secure communication at Dublin City Council headquarters in the first engagement with a local authority.

The demonstration occurred under the IrelandQCI initiative, the €10 million (£8.48 million) DIGITAL Europe EuroQCI programme building national quantum communication infrastructure for Ireland. The project is co-funded by the European Commission and the Irish Government's Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, coordinated by Walton Institute at South East Technological University on behalf of CONNECT.

The test involved creating a highly secure connection between two strategic Dublin City Council locations with project partner Asiera deploying quantum communication systems on existing municipal fibre networks. The IrelandQCI consortium successfully tested quantum-based security technology in real operational environments, demonstrating reliable performance under everyday conditions.

Professor Dan Kilper, director of the CONNECT Centre at Trinity, said the work highlights the importance of coordinated research, industry and public sector engagement in building secure future communications systems. "Quantum-secure communications will be critical to protecting public services in the years ahead, and this milestone shows how research and innovation can directly strengthen national and local digital resilience," he stated.

Jamie Cudden, executive manager at Dublin City Council, said a robust, reliable and future-proof communications network is fundamental to delivering smarter, responsive and secure public services. The initiative was delivered through the Telecoms Innovation programme and Smart Docklands to explore future communications infrastructure.

IrelandQCI is developing quantum key distribution infrastructure along major backbone networks connecting Dublin to Cork via Waterford, integrating cutting-edge quantum technologies with existing classical fibre systems to future-proof Ireland's communications networks against cyber threats.

Read comprehensive coverage of the quantum communications demonstration and future deployment plans in the complete press release.