Scientists based at Sligo IT have made what's being hailed as a major breakthrough in the fight against superbugs.

They've developed a new technology which can be baked into everyday items, including smartphones, to combat the likes of MRSA and E. coli.

They say it has a 99.9 % kill rate of potentially lethal and drug-resistant bacteria.

Lead scientist Professor Suresh C. Pillai, of Sligo IT's Nanotechnology Research Group, says the discovery is the culmination of 12 years' work.

"This is a game-changer," he said. "This breakthrough will change the whole fight against superbugs. It can effectively control the spread of bacteria."

The findings are published today in the international journal 'Scientific Reports'.