Address by Mr. Noel Treacy T.D.,Minister for Science, Technology and Commerce at the Opening of COST D-8 Workshop Royal College of Surgeons Ireland 29th March 2001

I am very pleased to be asked here today to open this workshop. I am aware that the activities over the next three days will bring to a conclusion the COST D8 action which has been ongoing for the past five years with the involvement of researchers from 23 countries. Many of those researchers are here today and I would like to warmly welcome all of you to Ireland- particularly Professor Peter Sadler, who now works at the University of Edinburgh. Professor Sadler was instrumental in bringing this COST Action into being and it is only fitting that he should be present at its conclusion.

I am also delighted to see in the audience Professor Kevin Nolan of the Royal College of Surgeons and Professor David Brown of UCD who along with their research teams have made sterling contributions to the great work carried out in this and other COST actions.

Since its establishment in 1971, COST has developed into one of the largest frameworks for research co-operation in Europe. Today its nearly 200 Actions involve some 40,000 participating scientists from 32 European member countries and from nearly 50 participating institutions in an additional 14 third countries.

COST Action D8 "The Chemistry of Metals in Medicine", could be termed a model COST action, in that it highlights all of the advantages of conducting research through COST. It addresses a difficult topic that straddles a number of disciplines, but offers the prospect of real economic and social gains - in this case, new medicines based on bioinorganic chemistry.

It networks expertise from all over Europe in fields as diverse as pharmacology, microbiology, virology, molecular biology and toxicology in order to develop a truly European competence in this area. For the researcher, participation in such an action presents an extraordinary opportunity. It combines the immediate thrill of pursuing exciting research and making real advances in under-explored territory, with the longer-term prospect of pioneering new drugs and diagnostic agents which could bring strong benefits for the pharmaceutical industry in Europe- and for the quality of life of all Europeans.

Ireland has long been aware of the value of COST as a means of extending national research into the international arena and building up competence in a cost effective and efficient manner. Our development agency for indigenous industry, Enterprise Ireland, has been given the express task of maximising the level of participation by Irish researchers in COST.

I understand that Ireland is now participating in 86 of the 153 COST actions currently in force, and I would like to sincerely thank Mr. Denis Toomey of Enterprise Ireland for his constant efforts to promote COST among the Irish research community.

Ireland recognises the contribution that COST has made in its thirty year history as a tool to promote better research co-operation and as an instrument for contributing to the development of European Research capability. We will be positive in aspect to initiatives that will to copper-fasten its future. Of course, Ireland is not alone in appreciating COST’s importance - the European Commission has indicated that COST’s bottom-up approach, in tandem with the Framework Programme style directed research actions, can make an important contribution to the development of the European Research Area. The discussions on the new Framework Programme will examine the role which COST has played and can continue to play in helping to optimize the overall performance of European scientific and technological co-operation.

This is an exciting time for Research in Ireland, with an unprecedented level of public investment in Research, Technological Development and Innovation (RTDI). Our Government recognises that while Ireland’s high levels of growth in the recent past have been achieved through greater inputs of capital and labour, our living standards in the future will be more dependent on improvements in productivity. Innovation will be more important than ever in raising productivity, and such innovation can only flourish in the context of a vibrant Research and Development culture. Taking full advantage of technological improvements and the development of new products, processes and working methods will become an increasingly critical element of Ireland’s future competitiveness.

Significant Investment in Research Technological Development and Innovation (RTDI) is required, if we are to build on the Economic Prosperity of recent years and ensure continuing high levels of growth, increased employment and further develop the capacity of Irish Companies to prosper in an increasingly competitive environment .In response to this need, this Government has provided nearly IR£2bn . ( euro 2.47 billion ) for RTDI, under the National Development Plan 2,000 - 2,006.

Although much of this investment will go towards promoting industrial R&D, it will also address the need to produce a sufficient cadre of highly developed researchers to ensure that all of our efforts to establish a knowledge-based and high-value added economy are successful. Our Government is accordingly taking a range of long-term measures now to increase the numbers of people pursuing research careers.

These measures include ensuring that prominence is given to science subjects right across all stages of education from Primary to Third Level, promoting better collaboration between industry and the third level sector, facilitating the training of researchers and increasing the attractiveness of science as a career, both in research institutions and in industry. Of particular concern in this regard is the need to increase the number of women pursuing careers in Science and Technology.

Perhaps the measure which draws the clearest link between research excellence and long-term economic growth is the establishment of the new Technology Foresight Fund, which provides for an investment by us of some IR£560 million ( euro638 million ) in world class research infrastructure in key strategic niche areas of Biotechnology and Information and Communication Technologies. This investment is designed to build up a critical mass of top quality Irish researchers in these areas.

Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), a dedicated research foundation, has been set up to manage, allocate and disburse the new fund. SFI launched its first call for proposals in July last. Assessment of the proposals submitted is still ongoing and SFI should be in a position to announce details of the successful Applicants, during the next month.

It only remains for me to wish you all a very stimulating and productive workshop. I expect that whilst the next few days will be scientifically demanding you will nevertheless find some time for social enjoyment both inside and outside of the Royal College of Surgeons. Finally, I know that at the end of this workshop COST Action D8 will be officially completed, but I would like to express the hope that the linkages and networks first established under the Action will be maintained and will continue to produce valuable insights into the medical applications of metal ions. I wish you all every individual and collective success. I heartily congratulate you all on your success thus far and I hope that our paths will cross again in the exciting years ahead.