IIEA Talks

Globally, it is estimated that 2.5 billion people need access to one or more assistive products or devices, and this number is likely to rise to above 3.4 billion by 2050. In May 2022, the WHO and UNICEF jointly launched a landmark Global Report on Assistive Technology (GReAT), which provides a clear roadmap with recommendations that, when implemented, can address global challenges in terms of access to assistive products and making universal health coverage inclusive for all people, including delivering on our obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with a Disability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The focus of this presentation will address the conditions required to create a much-needed step-change in our approach to assistive technology and how Ireland can shift to being a global leader in the field, including through its current collaboration with the World Health Organization. About the Speaker: Dr Cathal Morgan works for the WHO Regional Office for Europe, leading the workforce optimisation agenda within the Health Workforce and Service Delivery team. Before his current WHO role, Dr Morgan provided policy and technical advisory support to Governments in scaling access to rehabilitation, digital and assistive technologies with a key technical role in advising on disability-inclusive health policies. He has held several senior leadership positions within Ireland's public service, including as Head of Disability Operations in the Health Service Executive, and has worked with international organisations such as the International Initiative for Disability Leadership (IIDL) and EU EQUAL Initiative. Cathal is a trained clinical psychotherapist with a master's degree in clinical psychotherapy, a PhD in clinical research relating to suicidology, and a post-graduate diploma in executive leadership coaching.

In February 2025, France will host the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit, bringing together global leaders, thinkers, academics, businesspeople, and civil society to reflect upon what the AI revolution will mean for the world. AI is poised to usher in significant changes to the global economy, trade, education, government, employment, health, arts and culture. At this critical juncture, Dr Patricia Scanlon and Ambassador Henri Verdier discuss the Irish and French perspectives on what Artificial Intelligence might mean for not only their own countries, but for citizens all over the world.  This event has been organised in conjunction with the Embassy of France in Ireland About the Speakers: Henri Verdier is Ambassador for Digital Affairs at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. He has led the France’s digital diplomacy since 2018. Henri Verdier is co-founder and CEO of MFG Labs, an internet-based startup involved in social data mining, and chairman of the board of Cap Digital, the French-European Cluseter for Digital Content and Services. Ambassador Verdier has co-authored three books written in French, L'Age de la Multitude, Entreprendre et Gouverner Après la Révolution Numérique (The Age of Multitude, Entrepreneurship and Governance after the Digital Revolution), in 2017, Des Startup d’État à l’État plateforme ( From State Startups to the Platform State), and Le Business de la haine : Internet, la démocratie et les réseaux sociaux (The Business of Hate: Internet, Democracy and Social Networks). Dr Patricia Scanlon is Ireland’s AI Ambassador, a role which she has held since 2022, and chair of Ireland’s AI Advisory Council. In 2013, she founded SoapBox Labs, a pioneering company specialising in ethical voice AI technology for children with application across education and gaming. SoapBox Labs became a global leader and was acquired by US-based Curriculum Associates in 2023. Her innovative contributions to the tech industry earned her recognition by Forbes as one of The World’s Top 50 Women in Tech in 2018.

'Europe’s Security and Defence: Where We Stand' Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 transformed the threat perception for many European democracies. Russia has emerged as Europe’s most powerful and menacing power, willing to retool its economy for war and accept hundreds of thousands of casualties in the pursuit of territorial conquest. In response, democratic Europe is re-arming and providing unprecedented assistance to the defence of Ukraine. Brigid Laffan, Carsten Søndergaard, Marcin Terlikowski, and Ben Tonra will join this edition of IIEA Insights to assess Europe’s preparedness in an utterly changed security environment and what the election of Donald Trump as US president means for the US commitment to European security. Brigid Laffan is Emeritus Professor at the European University Institute in Florence and was Director at the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies until her retirement in August 2021. Carsten Søndergaard served as a Danish diplomat until August 2022. His final position was as Denmark’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation (2018-2022). Marcin Terlikowski is Deputy Head of Research at the Polish Institute of International affairs. Ben Tonra is Full Professor of International Relations at the UCD School of Politics and International Relations and Project Leader for the IIEA’s policy group on European Security and Defence.

The world can increasingly be characterised by uncertainty and transformations. Climate change, geopolitical competition, demographic changes, and new innovations in technology, including artificial intelligence, have prompted the need to reflect upon the implications which these changes may mean for society and businesses across Europe. In this panel discussion, expert speakers drawn from EU institutions and Ireland reflect upon how Europe can thrive in a changing world and ensure that the EU and its Member States are best positioned to meet the challenges and to identify the opportunities which may arise therefrom. Speakers will include: Pascal Leardini, Chair of the European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS), and Deputy Secretary-General and Chief Operating Officer of the European Commission Peter Clifford, Head of Strategy at Research Ireland Elena Lazarou, Senior Analyst at the European Parliamentary Research Service Kevin Flynn, Head of the Irish Liaison Office for Research and Innovation in Brussels, Enterprise Ireland Una Fitzpatrick, Director of Technology Ireland This panel has been organised in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland, and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.