First Meeting of New Cabinet Subcommittee on Science, Technology & Innovation & Launches Bicentenary Celebrations of Ireland's foremost scientist

First Meeting of New Cabinet Subcommittee, chaired by Minister Micheál Martin, enhances Government's strategic approach to science policy

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Launches Bicentenary Celebrations of Ireland's foremost scientist

The new Cabinet Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Innovation met for the first time today (Tuesday February 15^th 2005). The establishment of this Committee is an important step in the implementation of a whole of government approach to the key issues of Science, Technology and Innovation and to the advancement of the Research and Development agenda.

The Cabinet Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Innovation is chaired by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin TD, who said "the establishment of this Cabinet Subcommittee demonstrates our commitment to engage fully in whole of government approaches to key issues. Real synergies exist in this area and the approach now being pursued will ensure that they are captured."

Minister Martin stressed "the need to develop urgent, structured responses to the ever-changing economic environment in which we operate" and to this end the Minister indicated his intention "to lead the formulation, with my colleagues, of a Strategic Implementation Plan, which will secure Ireland's technological and economic future."

Minister Hanafin also took the opportunity to announce that additional finding of €750,000 is being made available to support the International BA Festival of Science which will come to Dublin in 2005. The festival, hosted by Trinity College from 3 September 2005, consists of an academic programme, a schools programme and other events throughout the city. The aim is to further raise awareness of science among young people and the public generally. Underscoring the integrated approach to S&T, the funding provided by Minister Hanafin complements support being provided by the Discover Science and Engineering Awareness Programme, the HEA and SFI.

After the meeting the Taoiseach, Tanaiste, Minister Martin and colleagues gathered at the statue of one of Ireland's greatest scientists, William Rowan Hamilton, to launch Science 2005: Celebrating Past, Present and Future, marking Hamilton Year.

Launching Hamilton Year before the Cabinet Subcommittee meeting the Taoiseach said "Ireland's future is dependent on establishing a globally competitive knowledge-based economy. The Hamilton Year gives us a great opportunity to showcase science and its importance to socio-economic development. Hamilton's work had a direct impact on putting man into space, with all the associated global economic spin-offs. I hope that, this year, many will connect with science via the commemorative events to be held. With good luck, we may even encourage another Hamilton and capitalise on his or her work."

The aim of the celebrations is to draw attention to Ireland's proud scientific heritage and to create awareness of the exciting world-class science, which is being undertaken in Ireland today and will be in the future. The joint venture is a collaborative project between Discover Science and Engineering, the Institute of Physics and the Royal Irish Academy.

2005 is special for two reasons: it is the bicentenary of the birth of William Rowan Hamilton, one of Ireland's greatest scientists, who discovered quaternions, and it has therefore been designated by the Irish Government as "Hamilton Year". 2005 is also Einstein Year, marking the centenary of the publication of Albert Einstein's three ground-breaking papers which provided the foundation of modern physics.