New €250k fund aims to back innovative proposals

A new €250,000 fund for Tallaght is set to be launched this month with the aim of backing innovative proposals expected to be developed before the end of the year.

The Beyond County Hall Innovation Fund invites proposals from individuals, groups or businesses for new SMART pilot projects – Smart Dublin is an initiative of the four Dublin local authorities to engage with technology providers, academia and citizens to enhance quality of life.

The goal of the fund is to support local private, public and community stakeholders to collaborate and develop new solutions to challenges across any of the local authority’s service areas.

Submissions for the fund can be made across four primary themes; community solutions, mobility innovation, technology and infrastructure and green solutions.

The council noted that Tallaght will be the focus of this scheme, with potential for it being rolled out across the county to Clondalkin and other areas in future.

A range of proposals can be made to the council, such as a proposal to develop defibrillators with the goal of making them publicly accessible.

A proposal such as this could be put forward by those with experience in the relevant fields, then the product can be tested and the feasibility of power supply options can be robustly assessed as part of an overall proposal.

South Dublin County Council stated: “The innovation fund will focus on the Tallaght area for the first round of funding, with South Dublin County Council seeking to establish Tallaght as a smart district where new innovations and technologies are embraced in shaping its future development.

“As the county town, Tallaght provides a strong base for learning, collaboration, and early-stage testing.

“The intention is that funded projects will establish themselves locally during this initial phase, with a view to refining their approaches, with the potential roll-out across the wider county in future years.”