NEWS IN BRIEF
Daily Digest 9 December
09-12-2008
by Sylvia Leatham
Aon to create Dublin jobs | i-conX secures UAE deals
Aon Corporation, a provider of risk management services that employs around 460 people in Ireland, is to establish a new 'global centre of excellence' in Dublin. Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan made the announcement on Tuesday, saying the investment, supported by IDA Ireland, would create around 100 highly skilled jobs. Aon said the new centre "will provide advanced research and development technology, enabling the firm to drive product, process and business model innovation across several disciplines."
Dublin-based telecoms firm i-conX Solutions has revealed that it secured two major deals on the recent Enterprise Ireland-led trade mission to the United Arab Emirates. The company says it signed contracts worth a combined USD1.3 million with Palestinian telco Paltel and Iraqi mobile operator Newroz. The Paltel contract is i-conX's first provision of its solutions for an incumbent offering both fixed and mobile services, while Newroz is the company's first customer in Iraq. I-ConX employs 25 people at its headquarters in Dublin.
Telecoms firm Cable & Wireless has signed a three-year multi-million-pound deal with supermarket chain Morrisons to provide a managed voice and data network solution across the retailer's 430 UK sites. A managed IP virtual private network will connect Morrisons sites including stores, petrol stations, distribution centres and data centres to the firm's corporate headquarters. The value of the deal was not disclosed.
The EU has committed EUR55 million to a new 'Safer Internet Programme' for kids. The programme, covering the period 2009-2013, aims to "protect children in the ever more sophisticated online world and empower them to safely use web services like social networking, blogging and instant messaging". In a statement, the European Commission said the initiative will fight grooming and bullying by making online software and mobile technologies more sophisticated and secure. One example of the kind of project that will be funded is a network of contact points where the public can report illegal or harmful content and conduct on the web. For more information visit the European Commission website.
In related news at home, Minister for Justice, Equality & Law Reform Dermot Ahern on Tuesday launched a booklet entitled 'A guide to cyberbullying'. The booklet is part of a series of publications called 'GET with IT!' and offers practical advice on cyberbullying -- how to identify it, how to prevent it, and how to respond before things escalate. The booklet is available from the Office for Internet Safety by calling 1800 24 25 95 or visiting www.internetsafety.ie.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 