Backed by more than €1m in funding secured by the Walton Institute at South East Technological University (SETU), the project forms part of a wider €17m national investment announced by James Lawless, Ireland’s Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
The Walton AI Facility will function as an advanced AI and high-performance computing (HPC) platform. Its purpose is clear: expand Ireland’s research infrastructure while enabling businesses and public bodies to adopt AI technologies at scale.
The expected result is a major leap in computing capability and collaboration. The facility will significantly increase processing power, improve energy efficiency, and position Ireland, particularly the South East, as a competitive centre for AI-driven innovation.
Welcoming the investment, Dr Deirdre Kilbane, Director of Research at Walton Institute, commented: “This funding strengthens our ability to build strong research collaborations that support industry and public sector partners in adopting AI with confidence.
“By combining advanced infrastructure with fundamental and applied research, we can help organisations move from early-stage ideas to practical deployment, while also building AI skills and capacity across the region.”
A major expansion in computing capacity
At the core of the Walton AI Facility is a substantial upgrade to existing infrastructure. The project will expand the current data centre in Waterford, delivering up to 100 times its present computing capacity.
This scale matters. Demand for AI processing power has surged globally, driven by increasingly complex models and real-time data requirements.
By addressing this gap, the Walton AI Facility strengthens Ireland’s ability to compete in a sector where infrastructure is often the limiting factor.
The facility will also integrate with major European research systems, including the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC).
This connection ensures Irish researchers and companies can access broader datasets and collaborate across borders, a key requirement for cutting-edge AI development.
Shared access across sectors
One of the defining features of the Walton AI Facility is its shared-access model. Rather than serving a single institution, it will be open to researchers, SMEs, industry leaders, and public sector organisations.
This approach lowers barriers to entry. Smaller companies and research teams, which often lack access to high-end computing resources, will be able to train AI models, run simulations, and analyse data at scale.
The applications are wide-ranging. Healthcare analytics, climate modelling, agricultural optimisation, financial systems, and security technologies are all expected to benefit. The facility effectively acts as a national platform for experimentation and deployment.
Positioning Ireland as an AI hub
The investment strengthens the role of SETU and the Walton Institute as a national centre for AI research. It also aligns with broader European priorities around digital transformation and technological sovereignty.
Dr Lizy Abraham, leading the project, emphasised the importance of infrastructure in enabling meaningful AI outcomes. The ability to train advanced models locally reduces reliance on external systems and accelerates innovation cycles.
Crucially, the Walton AI Facility also supports regional development. By anchoring advanced technology capabilities in the South East, the project contributes to a more balanced national innovation landscape.
Sustainability and skills development
Energy efficiency is a central design principle of the Walton AI Facility. High-performance computing is typically energy-intensive, but the new system aims to deliver greater output with reduced demand, addressing both cost and environmental concerns.
Beyond infrastructure, the project also focuses on skills and collaboration. It will support workforce development, technology transfer, and industry partnerships, helping organisations adopt AI with lower risk.
Taken together, the Walton AI Facility is not just a technical upgrade. It is a strategic investment in Ireland’s long-term capacity to develop, deploy, and scale artificial intelligence responsibly.