Ireland’s competitiveness in ICT enhanced as Tánaiste opens new €48.7 million research building at Tyndall National Institute, Cork

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan T.D, today (Monday 2^nd November 2009) officially opened the Government funded Tyndall National Institute’s new state-of-the-art research building, representing a remarkable addition to Ireland’s capabilities in nanoscale semiconductor research. The Tánaiste also announced that Tyndall will host the Enterprise Ireland-funded Competence Centre for Applied Nanotechnology, an industry-led research initiative involving some of the world’s leading companies such as multinationals Intel, Seagate, Medtronic and Analog Devices and Irish companies Aerogen, Audit Diagnostics, Creganna and Proxy Biomedical which is also supported by IDA Ireland.

The Competence Centre for Applied Nanotechnology was established by the companies coming together to define their common research interests, which will have a strategic impact on their business area in the coming years. The Centre will be hosted in Tyndall National Institute’s new state-of-the-art research building which accommodates, under one roof, research into advanced materials, device fabrication, packaging and integration and their translation into practical, industrially-relevant systems.

Speaking at the event, the Tánaiste said “It is vital for the development of the Smart Economy that Irish companies have access to state-of-the-art R&D facilities that are competitive on a global scale. Through various strategic investments from Science Foundation Ireland and other sources in recent years, Tyndall has established itself as a centre of research excellence. With Government support of €48.7 million, this new research facility enables Tyndall and collaborating Irish companies to move to the forefront of new nanotechnology research”.

“This combination of a world-class facility with one of the most advanced, industry-led research initiatives in this country will lead to the development of new, green, lifesciences and ICT technologies and high-value products giving Irish companies in these and related sectors a competitive advantage. This new facility demonstrates the Government’s commitment to investment in research and underlines Tyndall’s position as a key enabler in the development of the Smart Economy,” she said.

Speaking at the opening, Jim O’Hara, Managing Director of Intel Ireland, said “Ireland needs facilities of the calibre of Tyndall to be at the forefront of new technology research. This new facility will allow Tyndall to work on new concepts that are directly relevant to Intel and other Irish technology companies. We congratulate Tyndall CEO, Professor Roger Whatmore and all the staff at Tyndall on the outstanding contribution Tyndall makes to Irish industry through research and education.”

Welcoming the opening of Tyndall’s new facility, Director-General of Science Foundation Ireland, Professor Frank Gannon, said “Tyndall has, over the past five years, further enhanced its reputation as a beacon of enterprise, research ingenuity and pioneering thought. The opening today of a new research facility is further evidence of Tyndall’s continued progress and upward trajectory in enhancing Ireland’s research infrastructure and international reputation. Highlighting the benefits of the Competence Centre to the nanotechnology sector in Ireland, Martin Lyes, Manager at Enterprise Ireland, said “Tyndall now has the physical infrastructure and intellectual resources to deliver real impact for companies in Ireland”.

Tyndall CEO Prof. Roger Whatmore said “today marks the beginning of a new phase in Tyndall’s mission as a key enabler of the Smart Economy. A phase that will see the excellent research developed over the last 10 years translated into real world solutions by our Irish based industry partners, both indigenous and multi-national. This translation of research solutions and knowledge into industry has been one of the hallmarks of Tyndall’s success and we look forward to continuing to deliver real economic value to the Irish economy.” Professor Whatmore went on to say “I would like to thank the project managers, Project Management Group, the architect, Scott Tallon Walker Architects and the main contractor Bowen Construction Ltd. for their outstanding delivery of a fantastic building.”

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