I am delighted to be here today to officially launch the Beaufort Marine Research Awards.
This initiative will stimulate and develop Irish Marine Research and is one of the extensive research actions supported by my Department in conjunction with the Marine Institute.
The Beaufort Marine Research Award is named after Francis Beaufort the Navan-born surveyor and hydrographer who lived for 83 years between 1774 and 1857.
No Navan man has had an impact on the world stage like Francis Beaufort.
He is best known for devising the Beaufort Scale, which classifies the velocity and force of winds at sea.
Born at the family home at the top of Flower Hill, he has recently received recognition in his native town, with the Beaufort Mall named after him.
We have a housing development close to his birthplace called Beaufort Place and of course this fine school is named in his honour.
These Awards are based on the main principles of the Charles Parsons Energy Research Awards and the Griffith Geoscience Awards, which were recently inaugurated by my Department.
They are a proactive way to significantly develop overall research capacity particularly in priority areas of marine research, where there are specific gaps identified in current marine research.
We want to stimulate new interdisciplinary research teams in a range of areas including:
- Ecosystems Approach to Fisheries Management
- Fish Population Genetics
- Marine Biodiscovery
- Sensors and Communications Systems for the Marine Environment and
- Economic and Social Research related to Development Dynamics of the Marine Sector in Ireland
The impact of this research will provide wonderful commercial opportunities in marine materials, fish oils and novel fish derived nutrients.
It will also provide better understanding of climate change factors in the North Atlantic Drift as well as the economic and social impacts on the marine research programme.
The awards are open to any marine research group on the island of Ireland, who are based in Universities, Institutes of Technology or industry.
It is an all-island awards scheme and I regard this programme as an important dimension for Government.
With the re-establishment of institutions in Northern Ireland due in May, we want to promote this type of North-South collaboration, where we share skills and experience.
We are providing €20 million for this research initiative over the next 7 years.
The Beaufort awards will target research leadership of international standing by making funding available for Principal Investigators and a number of researchers with seven year contracts.
This is an important advance, increasing the recognition of research careers and attracting International researchers to Ireland.
The funding will allow qualified individuals to carry out research on priority marine research, which will provide significant results.
Funding will also be provided for postgraduate students who wish to undertake research that will lead to a PhD.
And undergraduate students will be given the opportunity of working as part of research groups, during their summer holidays, so that they can experience and appreciate all aspects of research.
All positions will be actively promoted throughout the world in order to attract the best available talent to Irish marine research.
The initiative will also fund a highly prestigious prize to be awarded to a world-class marine researcher scientist, Irish or international, who is active in research collaboration with Ireland.
This competition will be promoted in 2008 and we are confident that it will establish Ireland as a major International player in Marine.
These awards are a very important element of Sea Change – A Marine Knowledge Research and Innovation Strategy for Ireland 2007-2013, which I launched recently.
We have invested €365 million to create new marine-related commercial opportunities between now and 2013, and it is tangible evidence of the Government’s genuine commitment to the future and sustainable development of Ireland’s Ocean Economy.
I want the Irish marine industry to be the pride of Europe. I want every Member State involved in marine emulating our success and I have no doubt that these awards will focus world attention on Irish marine research.
I would like to thank Principal John Condon and his staff at Beaufort College for welcoming us here today to honour Sir Francis Beaufort.
As a teacher I am delighted that we are promoting excellence.
As a Minister I am delighted to see research playing such a vital role in creating commercial opportunities in the marine industry.
And as a local Meath person it gives me great pleasure to officially launch The Beaufort Marine Research Awards, here in Navan, and I wish all applicants every success.
Thank you.
ENDS