The Dargan Survey on Ireland’s Green & Digital Transition
TCD Masters Students in Smart and Sustainable Cities Janina Walther, Noah MacLaren and Liadain Kennedy
Are you staying ahead or do you feel left behind?
This is the question TCD Masters Students in Smart and Sustainable Cities are asking small businesses, social enterprises, enablers and state agencies about Ireland’s Green & Digital Transition.
Hardly a day goes by without a new announcement about the impact of AI or climate change. Predictions are that in the next five years technology will radically change how we live and work. It is crucial that localities, and their communities of small businesses and social enterprises, are sufficiently prepared to respond to the changing economic and technological environment.
The Green & Digital Transition is central to ensuring long-term business resilience, economic growth, and environmental sustainability. The greatest promise of exciting new technology lies in enabling us to achieve more while using fewer resources - time, energy, travel and money. However, many businesses encounter challenges such as rising operational costs, regulatory complexity, limited access to resources, and skill gaps, all of which impact their ability to invest in digitalisation and green initiatives.
How are we currently prepared for this coming period of rapid change? Is the digital divide between those that adopt technology and those that don’t, or can’t, growing faster? Can we cooperate and collaborate to put ourselves in the best position to harness what technology has to offer?
That is the purpose of the Dargan Survey, identifying the gap between where are we now and where we need to be. The survey, which is part of the build up to the annual Dargan Forum on Ireland’s Green & Digital Transition, is being conducted in collaboration with Ireland’s Connected Hubs network, Enterprise Nation and .ie
Who should complete the survey
We would like to hear the opinions of:
Small and micro businesses irrespective of sector or whether you are B2C or B2B - Share your experience of digital and sustainability adoption, the barriers you face and the types of support you need.
Social Enterprises - Share your experience of digital and sustainability adoption, the barriers you face but also contribute your perspective on how social enterprises can support communities and businesses in the Green & Digital Transition.
Enablers and Enhancers - Hub managers, Chambers of Commerce, Members of Town Teams, Tidy Towns committee members
State Agencies - Government Agencies, Local Networks and State Agencies: Provide insight into the effectiveness of current policies, funding mechanisms, and engagement strategies.
All responses will remain anonymous, and the results will be presented in aggregated form to ensure individual privacy.
When is the closing date for the survey
We will end the survey on Friday, 30th April, 2025
Where can I complete the survey
The online survey takes approximately 7 minutes to complete.
We will be presenting the findings to the Minister for Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Minister for Department of Rural and Community Development and the Minister for Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.
The more responses we gather, the more effective the resulting recommendations will be! Thank you for your time and input.
The Dargan Forum survey on Ireland’s Green & Digital Transition is part of the build up to the annual Dargan Forum, Dún Laoghaire. At our annual Dargan Forum we invite experts and practitioners to share their insights on how to accelerate the benefits of the twin transitions facing Ireland for Small Businesses, Social Enterprises and the Localities they support.
