The winner of this year's James Dyson Award is designed to tackle the problem of overfishing. Invented by UK student Dan Watson, the series of escape rings can be retrofitted to trawler nets.

The competition attracted more than 500 entries, with the winner receiving £10,000, with a second £10,000 going to the winner's university department.

Of the 40 Irish entries, three reached the semi-final of the global award: an advanced lighting barrier for emergency services to warn oncoming traffic; a hydraulic chair system for disabled sailors to access sailing boats and an innovative sanitary hospital furniture system to minimise the spread of healthcare associated infections.

Mr Watson, a graduate of the Royal College of Art, has created SafetyNet Technologies, to try and commercialise his technology.