Minister Noel Dempsey Launches Irish Energy Research Council

The Minister for Communications, Marine & Natural Resources, Noel Dempsey T.D., today inaugurated the new Irish Energy Research Council at an event in Dublin Castle

The Council, comprising leading academics, officials from Government Departments and Agencies and prominent industry figures has been established to coordinate energy RTDI (Research & technological, development & innovation) activities in Ireland. It will advise not only on the development of policy for energy research but also on priorities for Irish energy research up to 2013 and on integrating energy research policy with policies for the transport, environment, agriculture, enterprise, science and education sectors.

At the launch Minister Dempsey spoke of the need for a new departure in energy research and the importance of integrated policy: “The various sectors of the economy are much more interdependent than they were in the past, and the solutions which we require are complex and multidisciplinary. We have a greater environmental imperative, together with its attendant international commitments, and we also have our concerns about security of supply and economic competitiveness. This demands a new and more sophisticated approach towards identifying and undertaking research.”

“I have been concerned for some time that we needed to be doing more to understand our energy situation and to develop appropriate solutions to the many problems that we find ourselves in. This new Council will I hope facilitate and enable players to do what they already do well, supported by improved coordination and analysis and some new support instruments to address the capacity issue,” he continued.

“I am unashamedly trading upon the skills and experience of the best researchers in the country to improve the quality of and the coordination of energy research in this country This high quality, well-focussed and coordinated energy research, when well aligned with national policy objectives, will make an effective contribution towards improving our economic competitiveness,” concluded the Minister.

ENDS


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Speech by Minister Dempsey on the Occasion of the Inaugural Meeting of the Irish Energy Research Council

Dublin Castle, 15th June 2006, 2pm

I am very pleased to welcome you all to this, the inaugural meeting of the Irish Council for Energy Research. Thank you for your presence here today, and for your commitment to assist me through serving on this Council.

Once upon a time, back in the 70s, energy was sexy. We had the experiences of the oil shocks in 1973/4 and 1979, and saw how it changed our cosy expectations of limitless growth and infinite supply. It was a time when several people in this room began their careers. Today, once again, energy matters are centre stage. This time, however, the situation is more complicated than before. This time we have a greater environmental imperative, together with its attendant international commitments. We also have our other concerns about security of supply and economic competitiveness. The various sectors of the economy are much more interdependent than they were in the 1970s. The solutions which we require are complex and multidisciplinary. This demands a new and more sophisticated approach towards identifying and undertaking research.

It has been well established that high quality, well-focussed and coordinated energy research, when well aligned with national policy objectives, can make an effective contribution towards improving economic competitiveness. This makes it a priority, not just for me, but for the government as a whole. Indeed the upcoming launch of the Science Strategy for Technology and Innovation (SSTI) will be a tangible demonstration of this Government’s commitment to undertaking world-class research.

I have been concerned for some time that we needed to be doing more to understand our energy situation and to develop appropriate solutions to the many problems that face us. It was for that reason in 2004 my officials undertook a Strategic Review of Energy Research activities. This involved doing investigations to discover what project activity was actually underway on the ground. The results were interesting. There were a lot more projects going on than might have been suspected. This work has been continued as a base line inventory which is now being undertaken on an all-island basis.

But the Review also made clear that our current support mechanisms, while they are good at supporting research projects, do not lend themselves to building and maintaining appropriate capacity for research. By “capacity” I mean both the infrastructure of research laboratories and facilities and the intellectual resources. We face the challenge of increasing the numbers of appropriately skilled people in key disciplines coming through our education system. We have been attracting people to short-term projects and losing them at the end of those projects. It is no wonder that the precarious career path in energy research, characterised by unpredictable, short-term contracts, is not seen as attractive to our best brains.

Following extensive consultation with the relevant interested parties, including many of you, I have decided to inaugurate this non-statutory Council. It will have coordination, strategic direction and analytical functions. Specifically, the Council will:

• advise on the development of policy for energy research and on priorities for Irish energy research up to 2013 and for the longer term
• provide analysis and advise on the research capacity (human and infrastructure) required to address these priorities
• coordinate existing energy RTDI activities in Ireland
• facilitate positioning of energy research policy with overall energy policy as well as with policies for transport, environment, agriculture enterprise, science and education
• play a key role in linkages with the EU and appropriate international bodies (including the International Energy Agency), and advise on coordinating the Irish engagement with the energy elements of programmes including the EU Framework Programmes
• undertake (or commission) such underpinning analysis as required to inform policy development and strategic direction of relevant national energy RTDI programmes
• support where appropriate major strategic research initiatives not encompassed by existing mechanisms
• have regard to the all-island dimension in delivery of these remits

This is to be a “light-touch” approach to enhancing the existing machinery – a facilitative and enabling framework to allow existing players to do what they already do well, supported by improved coordination and analysis and some new support instruments to address the capacity issue.

In moving forward, I want to acknowledge here today the vital foundations that have been laid down by existing players, such as Sustainable Energy Ireland. We would not be here today if you had not been paving the way. And I want to welcome to the party new players on the energy scene, Science Foundation Ireland, with their track record of success in other sectors.

“Developing a new approach to the energy problem and its social ramifications has only become possible as new insights have shown us what questions to ask”. Not my words, but those of Amory Lovins, and written not in 2006 but in 1977. Great words – and they set the scene for our work here. I want you, the members of the Council, to know that I have personally selected you to help me. I am unashamedly trading upon your skills and experience to improve the quality of and the coordination of energy research in this country.

A great trust has been placed upon you, and much is expected. I know that you will rise to the challenge. I hope that you manage to enjoy your work together, and I look forward to hearing of your progress.

ENDS