Address by Mr. Michael Ahern, T.D.,

Minister for Trade and Commerce,

at the Launch of the Joint UK & Irish National Astronomy Meeting (NAM 2003)

in Dublin Castle on 8th April 2003

I am delighted to be here in Dublin Castle this morning to launch the National Astronomy Meeting for 2003.

This is one of the largest astronomy meetings ever held in Ireland. It brings together not only astronomers from North and South of this island through the Astronomical Science Group of Ireland but also astronomers from our neighbouring isle through the Royal Astronomical Society.

Ireland has a long history of interest in astronomy stretching back many years. The megalithic monument at Newgrange, aligned with sunrise on the shortest day of the year, is one of the oldest astronomically orientated sites in the World.

Space, has for decades, been a source of technological, scientific and commercial success for Europe. We sometimes forget the every day benefits derived from space programmes and technologies, ranging from access to real time information from around the globe, to accurate positioning information for business and leisure activities and let's not forget accurate weather forecasting!

Ireland has been a full member of the European Space Agency (ESA) since 1980. We have been directly involved in the scientific payload of a number of missions in the past including those of the Giotto probe to Halley's Comet and the Infrared Space Observatory.

Ireland has demonstrated a growing commitment to the European Space effort and in the process has developed a cohort of leading space scientists and researchers together with a cluster of highly innovative space technology companies, a number of which are proving to be highly successful in global markets.

In recent years, Irish researchers have entered the arena of microgravity research with four independent research teams undertaking Research and Development activities in areas as diverse as advanced materials and biomedical applications. In the future we look forward to participation by the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies in the payload of the James Webb Space Telescope, to be launched in 2010, as the successor to the highly successful Hubble Space Telescope.

Astronomers, in their quest to see further and in greater detail than ever before, are constantly pushing the limits of what is technically feasible and inventing new techniques, materials and processes which often have unexpected applications.

In addition to the obvious benefit to Irish science, Irish Industry has benefited greatly from software and hardware contracts obtained, both directly and indirectly, as a result of membership of the European Space Agency, a trend that I hope will continue in the future.

Ireland, for its size, is leading the way in introducing innovative, dynamic, small and medium sized enterprises into the programmes of the European Space Agency, to the mutual benefit of both ESA and the companies themselves.

I am delighted to see that the programme for the meeting contains several sessions devoted to advanced technologies in satellites, telescope construction and computing.

Ireland has recognised the need to become a knowledge economy driven by scientific excellence. The importance of raising awareness of science among the public and particularly among young people is an economic necessity.

Both Ireland and Britain face the same problem, many of our young students are turned off science because they don't feel that it is interesting or relevant to their daily lives. Astronomy, however, is a branch of science with mass appeal, it stirs the imagination of young people and over time can nurture a passion for science.

I hope all delegates will enjoy the lectures, briefings and also the less serious events of the conference. I note that a discussion on asteroid impacts and the phenomenon of `Dark Matter' is scheduled to take place in the home of Irelands very own dark matter - the Guinness Hop Store.

British and Irish astronomers have collaborated closely in the past and no doubt this meeting will help to strengthen those ties. We should not forget that astronomy is truly an international science involving collaboration amongst the people of many nations as they pursue the task of understanding the wonderful Universe in which we live.

ENDS