Diarmuid Hickey, a law student at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), has won A&L Goodbody’s Bold Ideas Student Innovation Award 2015.

Mr Hickey submitted a winning proposal to develop a Government-run data storage cloud for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to combat their exposure to the increasing risk of a cyber attack.

His proposed “EireCloud” would offer a data storage solution for Irish businesses, which would be protected by higher levels of cyber security and technical support, thus removing the hefty costs of file storage and cyber security for smaller companies and start-ups.

More than 2,000 members of the public cast a vote via Facebook for their favourite submission to the fourth annual A&L Goodbody competition. The winner and runners-up were subsequently selected by a panel of four expert judges.

John Whelan, partner and head of A&L Goodbody’s International Technology Group, said: “Bold Ideas is about fostering innovation among Ireland’s brightest minds and offering them a platform to develop solutions to issues that we face in modern society.

“In today’s age of ever-changing European data protection law, and where businesses and individuals are more exposed than ever to cyber risk, Diarmuid’s EireCloud puts forward a practical and well thought-out concept that aims to put Ireland on the global map as a country that can offer the gold standard in data management.”

As first prize winner, Diarmuid received €3,000 in cash, an internship in one of A&L Goodbody’s international offices (London, New York or San Francisco) as well as a four week summer internship with A&L Goodbody in Dublin. The firm will also make a donation on his behalf to a charity of his choice.

The runners up, Lianne Canty from University College Dublin and Heather Déiseach from University College Cork, both received iPad minis.

Judges for the competition were Sarah Lennon, legal counsel at Google; Brian Honan, special advisor on internet security and CEO at BH Consulting; Karlin Lillington, technology journalist at The Irish Times; and Mr Whelan.