Press release
Minister Canney Attends Third Annual Digital Day in Brussels
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
Minister of State Sean Canney T.D, today spoke at the third annual Digital Day in Brussels, where he signed three important declarations on behalf of Ireland concerning Women in Digital, Digitisation of Agriculture and Rural Communities, and Digitisation of Cultural Heritage. Minister Canney participated in a panel discussion on the topic of Digitisation of Agriculture and Rural Areas, which was introduced by Commissioner Phil Hogan.
The Minister highlighted the innovative work currently being carried out by Ireland's AgriTech businesses and our use of Precision Farming, all of which makes Ireland one of the most advanced countries in the agricultural sector. The Minister noted "the innovative work currently going on in our AgriTech sector can offer real advantages to farmers and the greater society, making our farms more efficient and helping to reduce their environmental impact even further."
Minister Canney also mentioned the challenges which we face in the Union in terms of advancing AgriTech, including connectivity gaps and the skills gap. "Communities are at the heart of everything we do, be it digital or otherwise and across Europe we have to invest in our communities and our citizens, ensuring they have the skills they need to fully participate in the digital economy."
Hosted by the European Commission, Digital Day offers European Member States and the European Commission an opportunity to discuss their shared ambitions for a digital future. This year's Digital Day was focused around three key themes: Women in Digital, Digitisation of Agriculture and Rural Communities and Digitisation of Cultural Heritage.
Minister Canney also took the opportunity to have one-to-one discussions with his Ministerial counterparts both from Poland and Bulgaria, where they discussed common challenges and shared best practice from their Member States.
Notes To The Editor
Further information on Digital Day can be found on the European Commission website, here.