(left to right Ciaran, Darren, Chris, Christine, Diana)

Core Systems are proud to announce that the Core Relay team completed the Belfast Marathon in 4 hours and 15 minutes, the team members have been training hard all year for the 26 mile marathon and their hard work was rewarded with a great final time. The event also helped Core to raise money for our charity of the year, The Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children.

Guests at the Reception included representatives from the Home Office and Serious Organised Crime Agency along with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Minister of State for Northern Ireland, the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Chair of the Defence Select Committee.

The reception included a welcome by Jeffery Donaldson MP, a member of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee, who stressed the importance of the companies present to the UK economy and the vital role the Defence and Security Industries have for growth. A short video promoting the companies attending was commissioned for the Reception and is available to view.

About ADS: ADS is the trade association advancing the UK Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space Industries. It represents over 900 companies from constituencies throughout the UK, including over 850 SMEs, and with Farnborough International Limited (FIL), which runs the Farnborough International Airshow, a wholly-owned subsidiary.

Core Systems is pleased to announce it has been shortlisted in two categories for the Belfast Telegraph Awards 2012. The categories include Excellence in Technology and Outstanding Business Team of the Year.

The Excellence in Technology Award specifically recognises excellence in technology. The Judges are looking for a company which is at the forefront of technological advances in any aspect of business activity.

The second category “Outstanding Business Team of the Year” will be looking for a company whose business has successfully completed and accomplishing projects through the development of the ‘right’ team, bringing together different talents, skills and responsibilities.

The Belfast Telegraph Business Awards recognise and celebrate the success of individuals and organisations operating within Northern Ireland. The awards will be announced during a ceremony on Tuesday 24th April at the Ramada Hotel, Belfast.

Core Systems will be demonstrating our range of solutions covering the fields of Biometrics, Access Control, Custody Management and Direct to Inmate information services.
Our stand location will be J 21.

If you are planning to attend and are interested in a specific product demonstration please contact us via sales@coresystems.biz
The HOSDB exhibition is the UK’s premier platform for showcasing world leading technologies and solutions for law enforcement and public security applications. Because of the specialist nature of this exhibition, entry criteria is strict. Visitors must be employees or agents of the police service, government security and law enforcement agencies – plus military and some select providers of Critical National Infrastructure.

For more information please visit The ADS website.

Core System's employees receiving their Fast 50 award certificate

Core System’s CEO, Patricia O’Hagan, credits working closely with customers to understand their strategic needs, and innovative product development, with the company’s revenue growth over the past five years.

The Fast 50 programme, now in its twelfth year in Ireland, ranks the fastest-growing technology companies in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. This year, there are 14 companies from Northern Ireland in the ranking. The average growth rate of the Fast 50 companies named in this year’s ranking is 674%.

Announcing the winners of the Technology Fast 50 programme Glenn Roberts, Senior Partner, Deloitte Belfast said: “Looking at the list of Deloitte Fast 50 winners in 2011, it becomes clear that we are witnessing the second wave of Irish technology companies starting to mature. In 2001, companies such as Conduit, Horizon Technologies and Iona were riding high as Fast 50 winners; ten years on and there are new kids on the block who mirror their predecessors in having great ideas and understand that to grow they have to go global.”

Adrian O’Connell, Head of Contracts & Technology at Northern Ireland sponsor Tughans said: “As one of NI’s most active commercial law firms in the tech sector, we work day in, day out with some of NI’s premier businesses and entrepreneurs. We therefore recognise how important this sector is to NI’s continued growth, and are delighted to be a partner to these awards which perfectly reflect this fast paced, innovative industry. Congratulations to the 14 local companies who achieved a place in the rankings.”

The awards took place in the Dublin Convention Centre on Friday 21st October. Industry figures speaking at the event included Maurice Mortell, Managing Director, Telecity Group Plc (former CEO Data Electronics) and Regina Moran, CEO, Fujitsu. Sponsors of the event were William Fry and Tughans.

Details of the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 ranking list are available to download at www.fast50.ie.

Core employees get busy serving up coffee and buns

On Monday the 24th October, Core Systems held a charity coffee morning for our charity of the year, The Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children.

“We would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who took part and supported this event in the Glenbank Building”

“We’ve had tremendous response from our staff with more fund raising events planned throughout the year” said Neil Young, chairman of the Core Systems charity committee.
Over the past number of years Core Systems have chosen a different charity each year to be the focus for staff fundraising.

Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children offer practical and emotional support to children, teenagers and young adults aged 0-24 living with cancer as well as their parents, guardians and siblings. They also offer support to children and young people whose parent or guardian has cancer.

For more information please visit: http://www.nicfc.com/

The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Arlene Foster, established the Economic Advisory Group (EAG) on the 28 May 2010. The Group was established following the recommendation of the Independent Review of Economic Policy, to create a focused group of experts, from economics, business and skills. Its primary role is to provide independent advice to the DETI Minister, aimed at challenging and developing public policy and strategic thinking on the Northern Ireland economy.

The composition of the EAG includes a number of independent economists, business leaders from indigenous and foreign-owned companies in Northern Ireland. The group is chaired by independent economist Kate Barker CBE, former member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England, and involves experts from the fields of business, skills and economics.

To date, the EAG has produced four reports:
•A response to the draft budget (14 February 2011);
•A response to the economic strategy consultation (25 February 2011);
•Research on the impact of reducing corporation tax (26 May 2011);
•Its response to the Treasury’s consultation on rebalancing the economy.

Patricia has been shortlisted in the Award For Outstanding Management/Leadership.

Women in Business was formed in October 2002 as a dynamic network to support the growing number of women who run their own businesses and work in existing organisations.
Run by female entrepreneurs for women in business. The network has a large and diverse membership throughout Northern Ireland. There are approximate ten large networking events each year, with monthly business lunches, and masterclasses delivered by experts in a range of business topics.

The winners will be announced at a gala event which will be held in the Ramada Plaza Belfast on Thursday 17th November 2011.

The Deloitte Technology Fast 50, now in its twelfth year in Ireland, is an awards programme honouring business growth, technological innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. The programme ranks the 50 fastest-growing technology companies in Ireland based on percentage revenue growth over a five-year period.

The awards ceremony will take place on Friday the 21st October 2011 in The Convention Centre, Dublin.

Sponsored by ESBIE Electric Ireland, Core Systems has been shortlisted in the Most Responsible Small Business category

The winner will be announced at the Celebrating the Power of Responsible Business Gala Awards Dinner at Belfast Waterfront Hall on 9 June.

“Yet again we have had a great response to these awards and from a wider range of companies than ever, suggesting that we are indeed deepening the culture of corporate responsibility in Northern Ireland, which is part of our aim,” explains Paul Rooney, Chair, Business in the Community, Northern Ireland.

Susan Kinane, Managing Director of Award sponsors, ESBIE Electric Ireland commented: “We want to see business grow and networks strengthen. Looking at other organisations that are going above and beyond getting the job done is inspirational and motivating. We are very keen to support this work and delighted to sponsor these awards.”

Five Northern Ireland winners of Business in the Community’s UK Big Tick Awards will also be recognised at the gala event in Belfast this June.

Our new premises will accommodate our growing staff and business needs, providing increased space and a more modern office environment for our staff and customers.  The additional space also provides enhanced working, conferencing and demo facilities as well as improved infrastructure and communications enabling us to better service our local and international customers.

“We are delighted to have made the move to new and larger premises”, said Patricia O’Hagan, Core Managing Director. “This gives us the space we need to grow and develop our team now and in the future, while upgrading our infrastructure to meet the demands of our increasing customer base”.

Our New address and phone number is;

Core Systems (N.I) Limited

Units 4 – 7 Glenbank

720 Crumlin Road

Belfast, Co. Antrim

BT14 8AD

Phone: 028 90 722070

Fax: 028 90 722071

 The committee was formed to investigate developing Northern Ireland as an Enterprise Zone and to scrutinise the Governments proposals on rebalancing the Northern Ireland Economy.

Patricia presented evidence to the committee based on her experience as Managing Director of a SME operating in Northern Ireland. This was a unique opportunity to communicate current challenges faced by a small technology company. Patricia gave input into possible strategies to help local companies to grow and develop into export markets. 

The Northern Ireland Affairs committee is made up of MPs from across the United Kingdom and was chaired by Mr Laurence Robertson MP and comprises of members including Lady Hermon MP, Ian Paisley MP and Mr Joe Benton MP.

The evidence presented to the committee will give rise to a report to the House of Commons, and the Government will reply with its decision whether Northern Ireland will be developed as an Enterprise Zone.

The Gala Dinner and Awards was hosted by the MBA Association of Ireland in association with Bombardier Aerospace to celebrate companies who have achieved success through innovation, imagination and exceptional business practice. 

This award recognizes Cores visionary leadership through the use of Innovation, Imagination and Excellence to achieve continued success and growth.

The company also received Highly Commended in the Innovation, Imagination and Excellence in product development category for Cell Point Kiosk. Cell Point Kiosk is an innovative cell control interface which records and monitors activities with prisoners in real time.

“We are delighted to receive this award as recognition for the innovative culture we have developed; Innovation is crucial to our continued success and growth.” said Patricia O’Hagan, Managing Director.

“Innovation has transformed the structure of the company as well as improved our business performance. Core has an ongoing commitment to supporting product innovation which is central to our company strategy; the introduction of new products like Cell Point Kiosk demonstrates the success of this.” She continued.

The innovation and development of new products has lead to a period of increased growth and expansion for the company. In 2008 Core also set up a US subsidiary to take the company’s innovative solutions and technology for the prison sector to the US market.

With 30 years leadership experience Kathleen has advised companies and clients in international business, strategic business development, marketing, technology commercialisation, entrepreneurship and government relations. As Non-Executive Director and Board Member Kathleen will play a key role in helping Core to develop its business in export markets.

“We are very pleased that Kathleen has accepted our offer to join the Board of Core. We have worked with Kathleen for many years and she has great experience in advising high technology companies, like Core, to grow in international markets.” Said Patricia O’Hagan, Core Managing Director.  

“Core is an innovative and progressive company that has built a considerable reputation in the high security market for their biometrics technology. As the company develops new products for the prisons and high security markets I look forward to joining this great team as they continue to progress on this exciting journey.” Said Kathleen Hagan.

Prior to founding Hagan & Company, Kathleen has held a number of senior executive positions including Executive Vice President for the Entrepreneurial Resources Group where she advised growing and entrepreneurial ventures. Kathleen also directed the Invest Northern Ireland Technology and Development Centre in Boston, where she assisted leading Northern Ireland technology companies develop business in the US.

Previously Ms. Hagan has also held various senior positions at Babson College, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Massachusetts Port Authority, and the United States Senate.

This award is additional recognition for Core’s excellence in workforce development, the company having also achieved Investors in People, Gold standard.

“I am delighted that we have received this award in recognition of the great team we have and continue to build. In order to innovative it is vital we have talented people in place to explore the market, develop the technology and maintain customer relationships. The development of our people is vital to achieve our success.” said Patricia O’Hagan, Managing Director.

“Core is a small company aspiring to compete on a global basis; therefore our people are a crucial asset. Following our recent successes we are now growing our team so we can continue to develop innovative solutions and offer first class customer service.” continued Patricia.  

Following on from the award Core are now actively recruiting for both technical and non-technical roles. These roles are currently being advertised through the company’s and other recruitment websites.

Core’s continued success has been reflected in a number of recent awards including Patricia O’Hagan, Core’s Managing Director receiving recognition at the IoD Director of the Year Awards, and in the Belfast Business Top 50 Awards.

Six of the best to take on the UK in London

By Richard Sheriff, Business Correspondent

Six Belfast firms are in the running for top national awards after topping the honours list in the Province of Northern Ireland heat of this year’s British Chambers of Commerce Awards.

Leading the local group to the national ceremony at the National Maritime Museum in London on November 26th is Barclay Communications which was named Northern Ireland Business of the Year.

Accompanying the firm will be Core Systems which won the regional Award for Innovation Through Technology, HeartSine Technologies, winners of the Achievement for International Business, Most Promising New Business Shredbank, Delta Packaging, Excellence in People Development and Mallusk Enterprise Park has been named the winner of the Awards for Excellence in Customer Services.

“The British Chamber of Commerce Awards is a platform for thousands in the UK to gain recognition for their resilience to and execution of changing trends, environments and climates.” said Oonagh O’Reilly, business development director for the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce.

“Obtaining six awards is indicative of Northern Ireland’s business acumen and the ability of our companies to gain recognition nationally and internationally. The Chamber is constantly encouraging members to gain credit for their business success and communicate this to others in their industries as a way and means of expanding their business networks and promoting their business.”

John Dunsmure, managing director of the British Chamber of Commerce said: “Despite the difficult economic climate, businesses across the country are continuing to succeed, overcoming obstacles by adopting innovative ideas and motivating their people. These companies are great examples of the very best of UK businesses and I wish them every success in the national finals.”

Clinching a national award would also mean the companies would be in with a chance to collect the ‘Winner of Winners’ £50,000 cash prize.

This goes to the category winner that judges believe stands out from the rest.

*Source: Acuity Market Intelligence 2007

Patricia O’Hagan, Managing Director of Core said, “In a move reflecting recent international recognition for the work we do and from our focus on building international partnerships, it was becoming increasingly apparent that we needed a new company website.”

Ciaran Gartland, lead designer of the website said, “I have really enjoyed working on this project and I am pleased with the end result. I wanted to design something that captured the work we do so that visitors can understand straight away what we’re able to offer.”

Patricia added, “As we move into new international markets it is essential that our online presence is informative, user -friendly and visually appealing. Our team have done a superb job in helping us to achieve this goal, and I am delighted with what is high quality e-marketing tool for the company.”

NSA’s annual conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, will be an event for the entire criminal justice community. Sheriffs, their appointed purchasing agents, and other qualified buyers will gather in Fort Lauderdale to see the most current technology and products in law enforcement, criminal justice, and corrections merchandise and equipment. This exhibition has been a sold-out show for the past ten years.

The Belfast Telegraph Business Awards provide an excellent opportunity to recognise, reward and celebrate success across all aspects of business excellence in Northern Ireland. The overall aim of these awards is to recognise and celebrate the success of individuals and organisations operating within business across Northern Ireland.

Tommy Maguire, Operations Director for Core commented, “We are delighted with our success in the Belfast Telegraph awards, which are considered by many as one of the most prestigious awards in the province. This award demonstrates the company’s success in developing the “right team”, bringing together different talents, skills and responsibilities, that has guided the company to success.”

Core encourages departments within the company to work closely together to enhance product development and the working processes within the organisation. It also invites employees to present their ideas to the internal innovation team. The innovation team supports new ideas and encourages research activities, enabling the company to continue its development of highly innovative software products.

Doors open for security specialist

by John Murray Brown

Core Systems has spent 15 years avoiding the limelight. A Belfast-based software maker, it has shunned every type of publicity. It does no marketing of its products. Its name would not have been found on any Northern Ireland trade mission. It does not even brand its company vehicles. And until now it has been unwilling to tell its story.

Core Systems is a key contractor to the province’s security services. Situated in a nondescript north Belfast business park near the brick wall peace line dividing Protestants and Roman Catholic neighbourhoods, it has developed an expertise in biometrics – the use of facial and other body features to create identity recognition systems – to help the Northern Ireland prison service.

Patricia O’Hagan, managing director, says that at the height of the Province’s political troubles a supplier of even humble, everyday items to prisons could become an assassination target for the various paramilitary groups, it is was seen to be working for the security forces.

But in the past few months the company, in a move reflecting the improvement in the political situation in Northern Ireland, has been tentatively stepping out of the shadows, “We are redesigning our website and we have started to promote our products. It has meant we have got a lot more business. And, frankly, it’s a great relief to be in a position to be able to tell people what we do,” says Ms O’Hagan. A Belfast woman, she co-owns the company with the two founders Tommy Maguire, commercial director, and Edward Hanna, technical director. She was brought in because of her experience of the IT industry and bigger organisations.

Core Systems is turning Northern Ireland’s unhappy politics to commercial advantage. Having demonstrated its capability in a challenging but small home market with 1,600 prisoners, it has become a leading supplier to the UK Home Office and the Irish Republic’s prison authorities. Earlier this year it opened an office in the US – in Santa Rosa, California – hoping to replicate its success in a market with a prison population of 2.2m. “In the prisons business, the US is the market leader, if you like. But being from Northern Ireland does get people’s attention. We have a reputation for an expertise in security issues,” says Ms O’Hagan.

Core Systems was originally set up in 1993 to make software for the construction and financial services industries. It was only when another local business was unable to fulfil its contract with the prisons service that Core Systems took it on.

Ms O’Hagan says prisons work is very different from supplying software to a construction company. “The way we have to build a profile is by engaging with technology experts in the industry. We have presented in the US at the American Corrections Association congress. It is really about identifying the key influencers in the industry and making them aware of what we do, and often that would end with a site visit because they can really see the value of what we have achieved,” she says.

Core Systems is unlike a normal software supply business in other respects too. “You can’t really get in to service the product the way you would in a leisure centre or a hospital. We physically can’t go into the area. So we have designed systems that have as little downtime as possible, but can also be easily reset by someone with little training.” Says Ms O’Hagan. She adds that the nearest parallels are with the space industry. Indeed, Core Systems in collaboration with the University of Ulster’s school of autonomics, which studies autonomous systems – “self-aware” systems that can take remedial action if something goes wrong – has presented papers at Nasa, the US national space agency. “In space they need systems that are as close to 100 per cent reliable as possible, because they can’t get anyone to fix them for them. That’s similar to a prison.” Says Ms O’Hagan.

Core Systems’ main product is control access software that uses fingerprint, iris and facial matching to allow prison authorities to identify individual inmates and control their movements. “Biometrics is a much stronger identification method than a token or swipe card, which is transferable – one person drops it and another can pick it up and assume the identity assigned to the card. Biometrics utilise physical attributes or behaviours that are unique to a person and are not so easily transferred or copied,” says Ms O’Hagan. This was a vital tool in Northern Ireland, where inmates from rival paramilitary factions were housed under one roof but had to be kept apart. Almost all the paramilitary prisoners were released under the terms of the 1998 Good Friday agreement. But Ms O’Hagan believes the product can equally be used to manage prisons where inmates are from rival gangs. “There was an experience available here that wasn’t available anywhere else – the challenge of dealing with groups that couldn’t interact with each other. That is now transferable to other prison services.

The company supplies prison services in the UK and in the Irish Republic. This year it expects sales of £1.6m-£1.8m, but expects its push into the US to help it expand revenue to £5m within a couple of years. It believes potential growth could reach tens of millions of dollars. The number of people in the company has grown to 23, up from 17 a year ago, mostly working on technology development and support.

Ms O’Hagan says the company is going to the US initially with a lower-risk product – “something that is not related to the security of the prison, an administrative tool. But we hope to sell on the back of that”.

The product is an electronic kiosk, which uses a simple hand sensor to allow inmates to access personalised information about visitor times, release dates and personal health information as well as how much credit they have to spend at the prison shop. “Requesting information from a prison officer can sometimes be a frustrating interaction for the inmate. But this system frees up the prison officers’ time. It also empowers the inmates to seek out information and make decision for themselves.” says Ms O’Hagan. It has been designed to be accessible to inmates with low literacy skills and little IT experience.

Ms O’Hagan admits this might not be a great time to enter any market, particularly the US. “But, because we are at pilot stage, the current financial crisis is not adversely affecting us. We would like to have established a reputation by the time we move out of the current recession”.

Core chases the dollar in US

by Robin Morton

A local businesswoman who had to endure everything from altitude sickness to sub-zero temperatures has been named University of Ulster Enterpreneur of the Year.

Patricia O’Hagan, managing director of North Belfast based IT company Core Systems, was named as winner on BBC Television’s Chasing the Dollar programme at the weekend. The BBC Programme brought together 18 enterpreneurs from across Northern Ireland.

After making their Dragon’s Den-style pitches, five entrepreneurs were selected to attend ‘entrepreneur boot-camp’ in Denver, Colorado. The entrepreneurs completed business coaching and mental and physical challenges in the mountains.

“At times we were at one and a half miles above sea level. It was exhausting and exhilarating at the same time”, said Patricia.

Core Systems is using the competition prize of bespoke support, sponsored by Invest NI to further establish their US business.

Congratulating Patricia on her success Invest NI’s Paul Brush said: “She is a great role model for others who may be thinking about starting their own business, or expanding into export markets”.

Core Systems has developed a new product for use in US prisons – the ‘Inmate Information Centre’. It is a multi-purpose interactive kiosk which enables inmates to access personal information and make service requests such as ordering goods from the prison shop, sending e-messages and downloading music.

The product incorporates sophisticated biometric fingerprinting technology for which Core Systems have an international reputation.

The US has almost 5,000 prisons and is considered a growing market.

Core Systems leads the way

A BELFAST IT firm has been selected to go head to head with five other businesses from Britain and Northern Ireland as they battle it out for the £10,000 prize at this year’s British Small Business Champions Awards (RSBC).
Core Systems was named Northern Ireland Area Champions after beating off stiff competition from five other specifically selected local firms.

And as well as picking up £1,000 on the night to spend on their business, the North City Business Centre- based company is now in the running to win £10,000 to benefit the firm and be crowned overall winner of the prestigious competition at the national presentation evening to be held at Claridge’s in London on November 21. Organised by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), the nationwide competition recognises and rewards thriving businesses throughout Britain and Northern Ireland that are well run and highly regarded by both staff and customers.

Established in 1994 and owned by Patricia O’Hagan, Tommy Maguire and Edward Hanna, Core Systems began life as a work from home business. The firm now employs 24 staff and is looking for bigger premises. Developing niche biometric applications in systems utilising iris and finger print recognition, ranging from biometric logon to confidential systems.

With a number of new appointments in the pipeline and a client base that stretches across Ireland, Britain, America ad Malaysia, the company has established itself as a world leader in its field. “We are overwhelmed to have progressed this far in these highly prestigious awards and are looking forward to attending the main event in November as Northern Ireland Area Champions,” Ms O’Hagan said.

Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year

Patricia O’Hagan is a co-owner and managing director of Core Systems (NI) Ltd. Northern Ireland’s most experienced biometric identity management experts.

Biometrics is the technology used to identity people based on their biological characteristics, for example iris recognition, fingerprints and hand geometry.

Incorporated in 2003, the company is based in Belfast and has recently opened a subsidiary operation (Tusa Inc) in California to supply solutions to the US corrections market.

O’Hagan describes her biggest business achievement as watching Core Systems develop from a small local company to operating internationally. This development now extends to Malaysia, where it has established a partnership with a local company to provide its technology.

Core Systems provides customised biometric solutions for access control and other security applications within the criminal justice market.

It has worked with the Northern Ireland Office on a range of security projects, including biometric access control in high-security establishments.

O’Hagan notes that 10 years ago, working in the security sector in Northern Ireland could have gotten you killed. Even five years ago, they still had to be cautious when talking about their work. However, as things have greatly improved in recent years, they can now be more open about their business.

Using the knowledge and experience gained from the security sector, the company tailored its biometric access control solution for the construction industry.

It has also tailored software products for the financial sector too.

The company has 25 staff.

Products/Service:

Core Systems has produced leading-edge, biometric innovative solutions for a range of markets including the construction, financial and security sectors.

It provides a complete tailored solution including software, hardware integration, consultancy, project management and training.

The company’s financial LoanMan product incorporates best practice to create a complete solution to administer, manage and track loans, from enquiry to payment.

Customers:

Over 70 per cent of its business is in the criminal justice sector and it has customers across Northern Ireland, the Republic, Britain and the United States.

In the financial and construction sectors it works with customers in Ireland and Britain.

It also works with local charities and not-for-profit organisations including the NSPCC, Play Resource Centre, and the Disabled Police Officers Association.

What vision prompted you to start up in business?

I was driven to start up in business by my increasing frustration working as an employee for other people.

I could see the way forward to improvement or increased efficiency but wasn’t in the position to follow them through.

It was the vision of seizing opportunities and following my instinct that inspired me to take the step.

Describe your progression from start-up to your current status:

We have come a long way in a few years. We have achieved substantial financial growth and are continuing to do so.

We have built up a very talented team of people who are producing leading-edge technology.

Our work is now recognised by key local and international industry experts.

Has your Irishness contributed to your success?

The unique situation in Northern Ireland has led to our development of specialist security management.

Working in this sector has added to the creditability of our products.

Our Northern Irish pedigree has opened many doors for us around the world, such as Nasa and the department of homeland security in the US.

Giving Haiti a helping hand

by John McManus

Ernst & Young entrepreneur of the year members turn their hand to repairing a dam and launching fishing boats.

Cequel Louima is happy today. The Haitian government may have stopped paying him years ago but he is still the guardian in the tiny hamlet of Dubreuill of sluice gates which control the flow of water into an irrigation system in a fertile valley of south-west Haiti.

Reportedly built by the French after the second World War, the weir had fallen into such disrepair that most locals saw it more as a footbridge than something that could allow them triple the output from their meagre smallholdings.

But what few teeth the elderly but dignified Mr Louima has left were prominently on display last Wednesday as he played host to members of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year programme who have been instrumental in organising remedial works on the dam.

Amidst much wheel turning and sluice gate opening and closing Louima confesses to being rather surprised that the sunburnt Irish business people who turned up in his village almost a year ago actually did something about the problems they saw that day. They must love the people of Haiti, he muses.

And, judging by the looks on the faces of Jenni Timony, of sandwich maker Doolittle, and Brian Irwin, of Portadown-based WD Irwin & Sons, Louima is not far wrong. Their sense of satisfaction at what they, along with other members of the 2007 Entrepreneur programme, have achieved is palpable. Organising some earthmoving equipment to clear out boulders from behind a weir may seem pretty straightforward, but in the poorest country in the western hemisphere where people survive on 2 a day it is an achievement, even if the moment was tempered by some of this week’s onlookers grumbling about how they were going to cross the river now that the weir was functioning.

Some 15 bone-crunching minutes back down the dusty road towards the coast, the repairs to the irrigation system have left some of the locals equally nonplussed. Boniface, another elder, rises from taking his ease beside the Solution Bank lottery kiosk to answer a few questions. Despite being a self-proclaimed member of the “dam committee” he says he knows nothing of the work on the weir, and attributes the fast-flowing water in the irrigation ditch by which he is standing to the recent heavy rain.

Another thing is clear; Boniface does not have any plans to start intensively farming three crops a year now that the local irrigation system has been significantly improved. His lack of interest highlights the depths to which the Haitian economy has fallen and the challenge that faces anyone who tries to do something about it. Fix one problem and another presents itself.

Sort out an irrigation system and then figure out how you are going to persuade smallholders who happily rely on the annual rains to grow one crop of corn to start growing three crops of something else. Given a local cabinet-maker some tools so he can expand his business and employ some apprentices, then figure out how to make sure he fulfils his promise (solution – get the local priest involved).

Entrepreneurs may love these types of challenge, but none of the 24 finalists of the 2008 programme who travelled to Haiti this week really anticipated the reality of working in a state that has failed and a society that has all but broken down in some places.

Fixing Haiti’s problems would require the US and the EU to invest 4 billion a year for the foreseeable future according to Dennis O’Brien, whose Digicel mobile phone business operates in Haiti and who is one of the partners in the Entrepreneur of the Year programme.

It is a forgotten enclave in an otherwise relatively prosperous region and only an hour and a half from the US, explains O’Brien. Digicel has been active in Haiti for three years and things are getting better, he believes.

“People are investing. The government has got a grip for the first time in 10 years. Security remains an issue, but there are opportunities being created by favourable trade treaties,” he says.

O’Brien’s optimism is at odds with the statistics. The Food and Agriculture Organisation predicts that the cost of Haiti’s food imports will rise faster than any other country this year.

Massive deforestation – 97 per cent of its forest has been cut down, much of it for charcoal – combined with a decision in the mid-eighties to lift tariffs on imported food have decimated the agricultural sector. The problems have fuelled recent food riots that cost the prime minister his job and are driving more and more Haitians across the border into the Dominican Republic. Given the extent of the problems in Haiti, it is fair to question the value of Irish entrepreneurs paying a fleeting visit to, at best, address a handful of small problems. “It’s not an exercise in vanity. These people are hunting for projects…I think 94 per cent of them will be seen through,” says O’Brien.

“When you bring business leaders who spend 90-95 per cent of their time trying to deliver profit and put them somewhere like this, it opens a window for them”.

A door was also opened this week for the inhabitants of a tiny fishing village on Haiti’s south coast. The discarded plastic bottles and other litter that deface much of the overcrowded Haitian countryside are all that stand between St Jean du Sud and the appearance of a tropical paradise. Dig a little deeper and it becomes apparent how far from paradise life is for the villagers who scratch a living from the depleted waters in rickety boats and dug-out canoes.

Last year another group of programme members took on the challenge of trying to help. The efforts of Stephen Grant of the eponymous midlands engineering firm, Jim Breen of Pulse Learning and James Kilbane of Grafton Recruitment – along with their colleagues – results in the launch this week of the first of two new fishing boats, complete with life jackets and VHF radios.

“It was a door that opened,” explains Vanie, a reserved middle-aged woman who is St Jean’s school teacher cum community leader.

“We came through for them,” says Kilbane. The next step is to help the villagers preserve and sell the fish that they hope to catch. Helping in that challenge will be some of this year’s finalists including Lord Kilclooney and Conor Foley of spread-betting company Worldspreads.

And the reason? Simply because they want to help, according to Varnie.

Entrepreneurs helping out communities in Haiti

by Graham Bardgett

Seven Northern Ireland entrepreneurs – including Lord Kilclooney – are spending this week in Haiti helping local communities create sustainable projects to alleviate hardship.

The cross-border operation is sponsored by InterTradeIreland, Invest NI and Enterprise Ireland, involving 40 Irish people in total.

Included in the Northern Ireland contingent are past finalists of the Ernst & Young entrepreneur of the year competition Brian Irwin of W D Irwin and James Kilbane of Grafton Recruitment.

The group also includes recently announced 2008 finalists, Danny Moore of Wombat Financial Software, Orla Corr from the McAvoy Group, Lord Kilclooney of Alpha Newspapers, Patricia O’Hagan from Core Systems, and Terence Brannigan from resource.

Approximately 66% of Haiti’s rural population live below the poverty threshold and unemployment rate are around 60%.

The Irish entrepreneurs’ objective is to further develop six sustainable businesses set up by last year’s finalists, create employment opportunities and also attempt to help craft practical solutions to Haiti’s environmental disadvantages – deforestation, soil erosion and water pollution. Their efforts will continue when they get home.

Participants in the week long retreat will also engage in a series of presentations on environmental corporate social responsibility, led by Dr Kellie McElhaney from the University of California, Berkeley.

Also travelling are Donal Durkan, and Martin Robinson from Invest NI, and Liam Nellis of InterTradeIreland.

Companies shortlisted for business award

by John Collins

Twenty-four companies in three categories have been short-listed out of a total of 115 entries for the 2008 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.

All nominees were interviewed by Ernst & Young and assessed by a 12-strong panel of sponsors and former winners chaired by businessman Denis O’Brien and including Aidan Heavey of Tullow Oil; Ann Heraty from CPL Resources; and Padraig O’Ceidigh of Aer Arann Express.

Eight companies have been chosen in each of the three categories – international, industry and emerging – and nominees cover a cross section of business interests with healthcare and technology among the top industries represented. This year’s programme has an emphasis on environmental issues. As part of a chief executive’s retreat held in Haiti in June, finalists past and present will work with some of the world’s poorest communities. They will provide help and advice to the sustainable businesses set up by last year’s finalists, and also help create practical solutions to Haiti’s environmental disadvantages which include deforestation, soil erosion and water pollution.

“Successful entrepreneurs constantly adapt to changes in the business climate, and now that the age of physical climate change is upon us, these are the visionaries who will make global sustainability a reality.” Said Enda Kelly, the Ernst & Young partner who oversees the programme.

The current holder of the title is Liam Casey, founder and chief executive of PCH International, the China-based supply chain management specialist which acts on behalf of US multinational groups in the consumer electronics, high-tech and medical sectors.

Mr Casey will travel to Money Carlo next month to compete in the World Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, where award winners from 40 countries will compete for the worldwide title. The 24 finalists in the 2008 programme will be profiled in further detail in The Irish Times over the next six weeks, beginning with the international category next Monday.

Each finalist will also feature in a three-part series to appear on RTE in October. The winner will be announced at a televised awards ceremony from Citywest Hotel, Dublin on October 23rd.

Semi Automatic

by Gary Mason

Modern policy custody suites are busy and noisy places with the potential for an overstretched custody officer to be constantly distracted from the legal requirements of his or her role.

Apart from dealing with the welfare of detainees, that officer is also responsible for the range of other individuals who regularly visit the cell block including force medical officers, legal representatives, cleaners, drug treatment workers and lay visitors.

To help custody officers closely monitor the security and safety of the custody environment, new biometric-based technology has been developed which automatically records all the custody officer’s actions, provides alerts to rouse vulnerable prisoners at regular intervals and regulates access to the cells.

The system, developed by a company based in Northern Ireland, is being looked at by the Police Service of Northern Ireland and a demonstrator model was shown at the Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSBD) exhibition at RAF Halton earlier this year.

A spokeswoman for the developers says: “It is widely accepted that officers are over-burdened with the administative overhead of recording information and updating custody logs. Often officers are forced to wait lengthy periods to access the custody management system or information is recorded long after the event has occurred.

The Independent Review of Policing by Sir Ronnie Flanagan (HM chief inspector of constabulary), published in 2008, highlighted the need to reduce unnecessary administration and bureaucracy within policing while complying with the requirements of the Policy and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE). The Act requires a full record of what happens during a detainee’s time in custody to ensure effective monitoring and accountability.”

Released from routine

The system, called Cell Point, is an interactive kiosk located locally at the cell enabling officers and support staff to record actions in real time. It releases officers from a layer of routine administrative tasks by recording everything as and when it happens.

The kiosks are protected with biometric finger-print login or radio frequency identification (RFD) cards to restrict access to authorised users only.

The system filters the appropriate quantity and level of information to meet the user’s individual access privileges.

ACPO published guidance in 2006 on improving the safety of custody suites in which it recommends the greater use of technology to help staff monitor the safety and security of inmates. The Guidance o the Safer Detention and Handling of Persons in Policy Custody says “Consideration should also be given to the installation of additional monitoring technologies where adopted forces must ensure that adequate procedures are in place to support its use.

Consideration should be given to linking custody alarms to force control rooms so that staff can assist in the event of activation. Forces should avoid systems that only allow access to the custody suite if someone inside opens the door. There must be a method of opening the entrance from the outside in the event of an emergency”.

The need for the custody officer to conduct regular and annotated checks on vulnerable prisoners was highlighted in a report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) published in March. The IPCC research estimated there are around 1,000 near misses, incidents in which prisoners could have died, in policy custody in England and Wales every year. Of these, 400 were likely to lead to death without prompt intervention by custody and medical staff (PR, 14 March).

The IPCC study, Near Misses in Policy Custody, examined incidents that resulted in or could have resulted in the serious illness or self-harm of those held in policy custody. It was carried out in collaboration with forensic physicians working with the Met and examined their experiences between May 2005 and April 2006. The results were used to calculate an estimate of the number of near misses that occur across England and Wales and the report makes 11 recommendations for all police forces.

Commenting on the research Nick Hardwick, chairman of the IPCC, says, “Adherence by custody staff to PACE and associated policies saves lives. This message needs to be reinforced to custody staff who need to follow set procedures, such as rousing and checking.”

Following PACE

Forensic physicians identified a number of facts that had a negative impact on the incidents cited in the report. These included low numbers of custody personnel and high volumes of detainees in the cell block. The researchers also found that 11 per cent of incidents cited in the research custody officers did not always follow the requirements of PACE to check and rouse prisoners.

To tackle these safety issues, one of the key safety features incorporated into the Cell Point system provides custody officers with automatic stay alerts on vulnerable inmates.

The system will record when an inmate has been given drink or offered food. It also records and alerts custody officers to the requirement of the time observations of vulnerable inmates.

Using the system, cell observations can set up to occur at pre-determined intervals and the officer’s responses to this are recorded as they occur. The system will also display markers against specific prisoners such as bio-hazards, reducing risk to custody officers and support staff.

Firm sees rapid expansion

Working in the area of sensitive hi-tech security systems for clients including government agencies was work that could actually get you killed in Northern Ireland, over a decade ago.

That’s why when Core Systems started working 14 years ago, its activities had to be “shrouded in mystery”, says managing director Patricia O’Hagan. Since the signing of the Belfast Agreement, the business has been able to expand globally by taking advantage of the new openness and safer environment in the Province to promote their wares- developing niche biometric technologies, utilising iris and fingerprint recognition to protect sensitive material for a range of clients including government agencies and the construction industry.

Ironically, Core Systems did okay during the Troubles because it “gave us an ideal scenario to really perfect our product” said Patricia. “Biometrics were still a relatively new area back then but because of the instability of in the Province demand for them was high and we were able to tailor the best software to suit high systems and security conscious clients”.
“It could be argued the pre-Belfast Agreement situation in Northern Ireland helped us become world-class leaders in the security software sphere while the political and economic stability experienced after the Agreement let us take our products and expertise to a much wider range of clients”.

Established in 1994 by Patricia’s business partners Tommy Maguire and Edward Hanna, Core Systems began life as a work from home business. Today the firm employs 22 staff and is currently looking for bigger premises as they rapidly near capacity at their current site.

With a number of new appointments in the pipeline and a client base that stretches across Ireland, the United Kingdom, America and Malaysia the positive effects of the Good Friday Agreement continue to be felt by Patricia and everyone at Core Systems. “Without it and the new era it created our products could still be a very well kept secret”, she said. “Since the Good Friday Agreement we have enjoyed rapid expansion and recently opened an office in California”.

And as well as enjoying a much greater freedom to promote the business, Patricia added she has noticed an equally dramatic change in Core Systems workforce recruitment over the last decade or so. “For years we have heard about the phenomenon of so called ‘brain drain’ affecting our economy but we feel that the trend is slowing down thanks to the improved social, economic and political situation here,” she said.
“Our workforce is highly skilled and we are now attracting prospective employees from around the world eager to share in the new atmosphere here”.

US prisons hold key to Core expansion

by Margaret Canning

A Northern Ireland identity management technology company has set up an operation in California.

Belfast-based Core Systems will operate from Santa Rosa under the name Tusa Inc.

For three years Core Systems has featured in the Deloitte Fast 50, which tracks fast-growing technology firms on the island of Ireland. It has developed technology for police and prison services around the world.

In Santa Rosa, Core Systems will market a multi-purpose interactive kiosk for prisons. The kiosk enables inmates to access information and make service requests.

It has teamed up with Touch Sonic, a Californian technology business which develops touch screen kiosk applications.

Patricia O’Hagan, managing director of Core Systems, explained: “Our joint expertise makes us well placed to bring leading edge inmate communication solutions to our target markets on a global scale.”

She said the company was benefiting from focusing on building international partnerships with the support of organisations in Northern Ireland and Britain.

“Invest NI has helped us substantially with new product development, essential market research, particularly in the US, with in-market support, management support, sales training and, most recently, in the creation of our new corporate identity.

“We really couldn’t have achieved what we have so far without Invest NI’s encouragement and very practical support”.

The company also signed an initial £50,000 contract in Malaysia during the recent Invest Northern Ireland trade mission to South East Asia.

As part of the Malaysia deal, Core Systems will supply an integrated security management system to a contractor for use in new policy stations.

In a tie-up with GB-based lock supplier Pickersgill Kaye, Core Systems will also supply its electronic control system into the Malaysian market.

Alan Hingston, Invest NI’s trade director, said Core Systems had made an “impressive commitment” to growing in targeted markets.

“It is now experiencing tangible benefits from this impressive commitment and is positioned to achieve accelerated growth in business abroad”, he noted.

Core Systems, which was set up in 1994, employs 22 people at its head-quarters in North City Business Park in Duncairn Gardens.

Invest NI offered the company £138,460 to support employment, marketing and market research activities.