Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen.
I am delighted to be here with you today to officially launch two major initiatives for the marine sector in Ireland:
- a national Marine Research and Innovation Strategy, aptly named ‘Sea Change’;
- and the establishment of a new award to support marine research in the 3rd level education institutes as well as a prestigious international prize for world-class marine research.
Ten years ago this industry was ‘at sea’, if you will pardon the pun.
The outlook for the 44,000 people employed in the industry was bleak, the fish stocks were depleting and there was little or no investment and absolutely no hope.
However this Government is committed to the marine sector and to the people who earn a living from the sea.
We have invested in identifying the real issues on the ground and creating practical and achievable initiatives that will help the industry grow in terms of employment and turnover.
This new strategy, Sea Change, is part of the wider National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation, which was approved by Government and launched by the Taoiseach last year.
It will cost €365 million to implement and will lead to a 50% increase in the sector’s turnover, by driving the development of the marine sector as a dynamic element of Ireland’s knowledge economy from this year, 2007, until 2013.
Sea Change identifies significant global market opportunities linked to the development of marine technologies and resources.
It is an exciting, innovative and integrated research programme to deliver high-growth, high value-added industries and ultimately jobs.
Some of the major opportunities that lie ahead for the marine sector in Ireland include:
- exploiting growing international markets for seafood products, especially health foods;
- exploiting new niche global markets in marine environmental technologies;
- and identifying major growth opportunities in shipping and related services sectors.
Sea Change also has a challenging programme for research in renewable ocean energy and in developing Ireland as a global monitoring centre for climate change assessments.
The environmental research programme will also assist us in managing and protecting our marine and coastal environment. This will ensure we have a balance between the rational use of marine resources and the need to protect fragile marine ecosystems.
While the Marine Institute will lead on Sea Change, implementation of the strategy will involve close collaboration with marine industries, a range of state agencies and third-level institutions.
I welcome this integrated, collaborative and partnership approach and I know that it will transform the Irish marine sector.
Competition is creating pressure for improvements in efficiency, quality and productivity and there is a growing need to innovate.
For Ireland to remain competitive and to create more indigenous, high-value industries, we must invest heavily in science, technology and innovation.
Investment committed in the new National Development Plan demonstrates the Government’s commitment to building up Ireland’s research expertise and output over all sectors.
The science, technology and innovation strategy will deliver world-class people and enterprises with the drive to succeed.
There is huge potential for the development of high-value industries within the marine sector, and great advances have already been made in establishing Ireland as a centre of excellence for marine research.
The Government’s last National Development Plan, which was completed last year, provided a significant increase in infrastructure for marine research.
As a result, we now have:
- two modern and advanced research vessels that are key to Ireland’s participation in international research programmes;
- and a unique salmon research facility in Newport and a new world-class headquarters for the Marine Institute in Oranmore.
We also have extensive facilities and activities underway in UCC, NUIG, and other third-level institutions.
I believe that the Sea Change strategy will build on these achievements for the benefit of the marine sector.
As a practical means of addressing the marine research capacity, I am also pleased to announce the establishment of new research awards.
These are based on the main principles of the Charles Parsons energy research awards, which were recently inaugurated by my Department.
Investing in marine research capacity is a logical and necessary step, in order to ensure a sound knowledge- based support to marine development.
In these awards, we will target research leadership of international standing by making available awards for Principal Investigators and researcher positions in the priority areas listed in Sea Change.
Both of these researcher grades will receive 7- year employment contracts and assured research funding for 7 years.
I understand that these positions will be actively promoted throughout the world in order to attract the best available talent to Irish marine research.
The awards will be open to any marine research group on the island of Ireland, based in Universities, Institutes of Technology or industry.
I also wish to announce the inauguration of a highly prestigious prize to be awarded to a world class marine researcher scientist, Irish or international, active in research collaboration with Ireland.
I have no doubt that both these awards will also focus world attention on Irish marine research.
The strategy and the new awards launched today should not be taken in isolation.
Over the past two years, I have worked to get the marine sector up and running again.
My vision is for increased job opportunities and new markets for all those working in the industry.
I want the Irish marine industry to be the pride of Europe. I want every Member State involved in marine emulating your success.
However, to achieve this, I have had to grasp the nettle, make the difficult decisions and tackle the problems head on.
I have also called on the best advice available in Ireland and abroad to see how we can turn this industry around.
For example Sea Change emerged from a National Marine Foresight Exercise, which involved a wide range of Irish and international experts and stakeholders.
A few weeks ago I launched the Government’s €600 million ‘Strategy for a Restructured, Sustainable and Profitable Irish Seafood Industry’
This, along with today’s €365 million Sea Change strategy, is tangible evidence of the genuine commitment this Government has to the future and sustainable development of Ireland’s Ocean Economy, ranging from shipping and fisheries to aquaculture and seafood.
I would like to congratulate the Chairman, Kevin Bonner, Peter Heffernan, the Board, and the entire staff of the Marine Institute for their dedicated and visionary work in the field of marine research.
In particular, I thank them for producing this comprehensive and far-reaching strategy, which I believe will allow all of you in the Irish marine sector to transform it over the next seven years.
It gives me great pleasure to officially launch the publication of Sea Change and to wish all the key players every success in achieving the aims of this ambitious strategy.
ENDS