Minister Micheál Martin, TD, Opens the Crest Centre

"The CREST Centre will be linked to the Universities and Institutes of Technology and will work in collaboration with industry on research issues of medium-term interest to Irish-based industry, and provide improved access to technology solutions"

Micheál Martin TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment today (May 20th 2005) opened the Centre for Research into Engineering Surface Technology, the Crest Centre at the DIT, Kevin Street.

Commenting, Minister Martin said, "The Centre has made a significant contribution to the development of an R&D infrastructure for industry in Ireland, having been part of the former Institute for Industrial Research & Standards, and having gained extensive experience in R&D, advice and consultancy for manufacturing industry. CREST is now the principal paint and surface coatings laboratory in Ireland, serving the needs of both industry and academia".

"The Group is unique in terms of its expertise, facilities and services and it enjoys a very strong reputation at home and abroad. Its location within the DIT structure, with its range of talented staff and its extensive services, should assist the CREST Centre in further growth and development. I very much hope that the Centre can use its expertise in collaboration with colleagues, and in partnership with client companies, to develop a sustainable competitive advantage in its area of technology" Minister Martin added.

"CREST is supported by the Enterprise Ireland Industrial Technologies Programme, which is fostering and developing industry-led and industry-relevant research with the objective of ensuring the viability and competitiveness of industrial activity in Ireland into the future. It is one of three specialised services where Enterprise Ireland research teams have relocated to third level institutions, the others being the Plasma Coatings Research activity at UCD and the Ceramics Activity at DCU", he added.

"Enterprise Ireland's Strategy Statement which I launched recently has identified an objective of developing technology collaboration centres, such as CREST. The CREST Centre will be linked to the Universities and Institutes of Technology. It will work in collaboration with industry on research issues of medium-term interest to Irish-based industry, and provide improved access to technology solutions.

There is an urgent need to develop structured responses to the ever- changing economic environment in which we operate and, in that context, I was very pleased to have been asked by the Taoiseach to chair the new Cabinet Subcommittee on Science and Technology. We must move rapidly to secure Ireland's position in the increasingly competitive global market, where R&D capacity and reputation are key determinants in attracting and retaining investment and consequent quality employment.

To this end, together with my ministerial colleagues, I have mandated the senior officials in the Interdepartmental Committee on Science to prepare, as a matter of urgency, a Strategic Implementation Plan for the Cabinet Committee's consideration, detailing specific short and medium term targets and funding projections required to deliver the recommendations in the Action Plan Building Ireland's Knowledge Economy - The Irish Action Plan for promoting investment in R&D to 2010", Minister Martin concluded.

ENDS

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