MR Kevin Kelly, the executive editor of Wired magazine and author of the book New Rules for the New Economy, is the keynote speaker at the Knowledge Factory conference in the RDS on February 26.

The conference is sponsored by The Irish Times and Esat Telecom and has as its theme, Ireland - Gateway to the Wired World.

The Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, will give the conference's opening address. Mr Sean Corkery of Esat Telecom and Mr Seamus Conaty, managing director of Irish Times Electronic Publishing Division, will also be among the speakers.