Geological Survey Ireland is pleased to welcome Eluned Morgan, Welsh Government Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language, aboard the RV Mallet at the Royal Irish Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, on Wednesday 11 March as part of Wales Week.
Minister Morgan will visit the RV Mallet to meet members of the CHERISH Project team and look at coastal data collected in both Ireland and Wales. The CHERISH Project is funded by the European Union's Ireland Wales 2014-2020 European Territorial Co-operation (ETC) programme, and Irish project partners are Geological Survey Ireland and the Discovery Programme. The project employs cutting-edge technologies to analyse coastal and island archaeology and heritage sites most affected by climate change, coastal erosion, storminess and rising sea levels in Ireland and Wales. Studied sites in Ireland include Drumanagh, Co Dublin; Rosslare, Co Wexford; and Skellig Michael, Co Kerry, along with the Shipwrecks of the SS Manchester Merchant in Dingle, and the City of London off the Wexford coast. The visit to RV Mallet will be an opportunity to showcase high resolution seafloor imagery acquired at a Welsh site as part of Welsh – Irish cooperation through the CHERISH programme.
Understanding the past, present and future impacts of climate change on the coasts and coastal communities of these islands requires a cross-disciplinary, international approach. The CHERISH Project achieves this by combining geology, archaeology, remote sensing, and marine mapping to develop state-of-the-art data sets for future planning and climate change mitigation.
Koen Verbruggen, Director of Geological Survey Ireland commented,
We’re delighted to welcome Minister Morgan to the RV Mallet. The CHERISH Project is a great example of continuing Welsh-Irish collaboration as we work together to use science to understand the potential impacts of climate change along our coasts.
Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for Natural Resources stated,
The CHERISH Project is one of the exemplary projects in my Department in addressing climate change. 2019 saw the release of the Government of Ireland Climate Action Plan and the work of this project, the INFORMAR project and Geological Survey Ireland is essential in contributing to understanding our coasts and seabed and in working towards sustainable energy for Ireland.
Eluned Morgan, Welsh Government’s Minister for International Relations said,
The work being carried out as part of the CHERISH project is a true testament of the close working between our two fabulous countries. I look forward to seeing the results of the work that will be carried out on board the RV Mallet.
For further information please contact the Press Office of the Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment at press.office@dccae.gov.ie or
01 678 2441.
Notes to the Editor
· Geological Survey Ireland is the National Earth Science Agency. It is responsible for providing geological advice and information, and for the acquisition of data for this purpose. Geological Survey Ireland produces a range of products including maps, reports and databases and acts as a knowledge centre and project partner in all aspects of Irish geology. Geological Survey Ireland is a division of the Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment (DCCAE). www.gsi.ie.
· CHERISH project (Climate, Heritage and Environments of Reefs, Islands and Headlands) – 'Climate Change and Coastal Heritage' – is a €6.2 million six year project funded by the European Union's Ireland Wales 2014-2020 European Territorial Co-operation (ETC) programme. www.cherishproject.eu The partners are the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, the Discovery Programme: Centre for Archaeology and Innovation Ireland, Aberystwyth University: Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, and Geological Survey Ireland. https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/programmes-and-projects/marine-and-coastal-unit/projects/Pages/CHERISH.aspx
· INFOMAR is a programme funded by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and delivered by joint management partners Geological Survey Ireland and the Marine Institute.