The Pat Kenny Show Creating innovation jobs in Ireland’s green economy
Oct 30, 2025
Margie McCarthy, Director of Research & Policy at the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, dives into the burgeoning innovation jobs in Ireland’s green economy. She discusses how a €100 million investment in publicly funded research drives technology development and market signals for job creation. Margie highlights the importance of retrofitting homes, tech cost reductions, and the role of district heating and data centre waste heat in sustainability. She also outlines exciting career opportunities across various sectors, from EV specialists to ecologists.
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Research Drives Energy Policy And Markets
- SEAI performs and funds research that produces the data driving energy policy and technology decisions in Ireland.
- Publicly funded research reveals challenges, informs standards, and signals market opportunities that create jobs.
RetroKit Example From SEAI Funding
- RetroKit is a platform developed by an SEAI-funded company to help local authorities assess social housing conditions for targeted upgrades.
- The platform demonstrates how research funding spins out practical tools that prompt industry activity and jobs.
Retrofit Needs Localized Research
- Building fabric and local climate matter greatly when choosing retrofit measures for Irish homes.
- Targeted research informs what works best by home type, improving cost-effectiveness and standards.