A Uachtaráin na hOllscoile;
A dhaoine uaisle.
Is mór an áthas atá orm ar maidin bheith anseo chun tús oifigiúil a chur le eachtra fíor-thábhachtach anseo i UCD. Mar ní amháin foirgneamh atá ar intinn againn anseo ach an taighde den chéad scoth a bheidh suite ann, á chomhordú ag saineolaithe a bheidh clú agus cáil orthu ar fud an domhain.
Introduction
President;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
I am delighted to be here this morning to officially open the UCD Centre for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery.
Today represents much more than the opening of a building.
It is the start of an exciting journey of discovery.
Old Irish explorers used small wooden boats with animal skin hulls to explore the world. Today Irish explorers wear lab coats and will use microscopes to explore new frontiers.
From this centre pioneers in their field will solve problems we didn’t even know existed only a few short years ago.
I am delighted that this centre of discovery will be based here in UCD. It will add to Ireland’s growing reputation as a new exciting frontier of scientific discovery and activity.
Phase 1 of Science Centre development
The Centre that we are opening today brings together three areas of science:
The UCD Centre for Pharmaceutical Sciences researching in the area of drug discovery.
The UCD Institute of Food and Health researching the processing of safe and healthy food, functional food, nutrition and sustainable food.
The UCD Centre for Nanomedicine - researching the use of nanotechnology to develop new medical technologies.
Over €35 million has been provided to fund the Centre through the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI).
It is a central element to UCD Science Centre redevelopment - Ireland’s most ambitious capital development in the history of third-level education.
This development demonstrates how Government funding can be partnered with other funds in order to build facilities such as this.
This is essential in this time of scarce resources as UCD has matched core government funding on a Euro for Euro basis.
I am happy to report that the Government has recently approved the next phase of the development - which will include over 32,000 square metres of new and refurbished accommodation.
Some might be taken aback by the fact that more than 200 industry partnerships have already been fostered in the UCD Science Centre.
This is the type of close collaboration between higher education and industry that we need.
Turning discovery into application and application into jobs.
All the time strengthening UCD and strengthening Ireland.
Investment in Science, Technology and Innovation
This Centre is an example of Ireland’s prioritisation of investment in science, research and development.
And we have seen this investment bearing fruit.
In the mid-1980s, Ireland was off the map when it came to scientific research.
Today we are now in the top 20 in the world for the quality and relevance of our scientific research.
Number one location in Europe for Lifesciences projects.
Pioneers of discovery.
And our improving performance in research and innovation is reflected in multinational investment, exports and jobs:
We have eight of the world’s top ten medical technology companies located here.
We are the world’s largest net exporter of pharmaceuticals.
Pharmaceutical and biotech exports combined are worth around €46 billion annually to the Irish economy, and the sector employs nearly 40,000 people.
The lifesciences sector employs 50,000 people directly.
Our food and drink sector is thriving with exports of €7.9 billion and a growing market share in functional foods.
However, as we are all too aware, these are challenging times for the economy.
On occasion there has been criticism of investment in research and development at a time of cutbacks and scarce resources.
But new jobs and new discoveries will be essential to the well being of our people.
But we need to do more to build close links between industry and education – ensuring that our investment pays off in terms of new companies and jobs.
As such increasing the numbers and quality of science graduates will be critical to our prospects for economic recovery.
Increasing science and technology graduates
We need more top quality science and technology graduates to support our economic ambitions.
The new Government is keenly aware of the need to make the necessary changes to unlock the scientific potential in our school goers.
The Government will do all it can to make science and technology education more effective and attractive.
But this is both a supply and demand issue.
There is a significant role for the academic and scientist community in highlighting the attractiveness of careers in science.
Companies must also play their part by promoting the range of careers available to ICT graduates and by providing work experience.
The scientists amongst us today can help by acting as ambassadors of their profession - particularly to primary and second level students in your families and your communities.
Conclusion
The range of research projects being undertaken here in
UCD on issues such as cancer and drug research is at the forefront of human exploration and discovery. It is genuinely exciting.
That is why we have supported the development of this Science centre which will educate thousands, and probably hundreds of thousands, of science students and researchers in its lifetime.
George Bernard Shaw once wryly remarked that "Science never solves a problem without creating ten more." Well I say to that is we better start training more scientists to solve all these problems!
Today is a great day for UCD and for the future of science in Ireland. May I wish you all the very best of success.
Thank you.