Speech by Minister Micheál Martin at SFIs CSET Award Announcement

Speech by Mr Micheál Martin TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment at the Announcement of Science Foundation Ireland’s CSET Award for The Irish Software Engineering Research Centre (ISERC) November 9th 2005, the Italian Room, Government Buildings

Good morning, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

I want to welcome you all to Government Buildings for the announcement of this very important Science Foundation Ireland funded CSET award of €11.7 million to the Irish Software Engineering Research Centre (ISERC). I would like, in particular, to take this opportunity to welcome Prof. Klaus Pohl, Scientific Director of ISERC to Ireland. Prof Pohl has relocated here from Germany to undertake his research at ISERC in the University of Limerick.

As you are all aware, our recent economic past has been driven by a strong manufacturing sector underpinned by significant overseas investments. However, tomorrow’s prosperity will be driven by technology and creative ingenuity. Our economy is evolving to meet this challenge and significant investment in software engineering is just one example of what we are doing in this regard. This Government recognises that Ireland’s future depends on exploiting the ideas and the creativity of talented researchers based in our academic institutions.

SFI is key to the success of the government’s strategy of developing a knowledge-based economy. It is investing in academic researchers and research teams who are most likely to generate new knowledge, leading edge technologies, and competitive enterprises in the fields underpinning ICT and biotechnology.

The establishment of this Centre is part of the overall SFI strategy to create and sustain a lasting indigenous research base that produces ideas, products and jobs based on knowledge and innovation.

ISERC is an excellent example of best of breed research being carried out in Ireland. As the national centre for software engineering research, ISERC will support researchers whose work will deliver a sustained competitive advantage for the entire Irish software sector.   It will also be a vital component in securing Ireland’s future in this demanding, exciting and rewarding global market. 

ISERC under the direction of Prof. Kevin Ryan and his team is bringing together the collective software engineering research community in Ireland and beyond, attracting researchers from different industrial and academic locations, nationally and internationally, to collaborate on key problem areas, resulting in a self-sustaining flow of new projects and ideas.

In order to be approved by the SFI Board for funding under the SFI Centres for Science, Technology and Engineering (CSET) Programme, this project went through a rigorous review process that included an assessment by an international panel of scientific experts. In order to attract this level of investment from SFI, the project had to achieve the required level of research excellence as well as meeting the requirements of SFI for industrial and academic collaboration, intellectural breadth, as well as the integration of research and education.

ISERC, based at the University of Limerick, will be the focal point of a community of software engineering researchers based in Ireland - all of whom are seeking better ways to build, maintain and evaluate software. These researchers, who have disparate interests and problem-solving approaches, will come together to produce significant results for software development.  The environment provided by ISERC will be essential for this synergy. 

ISERC will be supported by a set of companies who want to cooperate on “pre-competitive” approaches to improving their software development methods.  Following discussions with Irish and international industry, it will initially focus on two key sectors: Automotive Systems and Telecommunications Services. These exemplify the problems that will be faced, sooner or later, by all software developers, big or small.

Industrial members have committed personnel who will work with the academic researchers in solving problems and providing test cases for their work.  They will also take part in technology transfer and educational efforts organised by ISERC. In this way, ISERC will help connect the expanding research community to the industrial base and, through co-operative projects, technology trials, education and outreach, will maximise the impact of all software engineering research funding in Ireland.

SFI strongly encourages such research collaboration between its funded scientists and engineers and industry. These interactions can lead to SFI scientists and engineers becoming more informed about industrial priorities and research needs and lead to industrial collaborators being informed about important new science and engineering research developments in Ireland.

Ultimately, ISERC’s research will enable industry to respond to the increased pressures on industry brought about by globalisation and higher societal expectations.

The Government’s goal isthat by 2013 Ireland will be internationally renowned for the excellence of its research and be at the forefront in generating and using new knowledge for economic and social progress, within an innovation-driven culture. Science and technology remain at the forefront of Government priorities.

A more focused and co-ordinated approach to Science and Technology Policy and investment now exists with the establishment of a Cabinet Committee on Science and Technology, of which I am Chair. As part of that whole of government approach, we have tasked a group of senior officials from across the relevant Departments to prepare an action-based STI Strategy to 2013 for the Cabinet Committee and I expect to see that work concluded in the coming months. This will ensure a strong future basis for further strategic investment in research.

The SFI award to ISERC will further our credentials as a major software engineering player, providing the world-class infrastructure needed to excel in this area. The thrust of this will be through this innovative centre, coordinating minds and ideas, enabling Ireland to punch above its weight in this significant field.

Here on our shores, we now have a world-class centre for development and innovation that will provide a uniqueness to Ireland’s industrial activities. This will give our software sector a sustainable competitive advantage and further Ireland’s reputation as an ideal location for research and development (R&D).

In particular, the centre plays to one of Ireland’s strengths, creating and sustaining strong and lasting partnerships between Irish researchers and industrial partners.

A clear strength of the Centre is its exceptional industrial collaboration, which Hans Jurgen Kugler, Industrial Director, ISERC, has been instrumental in developing and establishing, with support from IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland. The centre has teamed with 14 companies who want to cooperate on “pre-competitive” approaches to improving their software development methods. These companies Aimware, Analog Devices, Ashling Microsystems, IBM Ireland, Iona Technologies, Intel Ireland, Beaumount Hospital, Bosch, Evolve Technologies, Kugler Maag CIE, Motorola, Piercom Ltd, QAD Ireland Ltd, and Silicon & Software Systems have committed personnel who will work with the academic researchers in solving problems and providing test cases for their work. 

In addition, the Centre will also include top research scientists from Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin and Dublin City University.

Looking to the future, ISERC will lead the way in training and building a knowledgeable, highly professional software engineering community spanning academia and industry.

Above all, the centre puts in place the mechanisms, the funding, the skilled personnel and leading-edge technology that are required to secure Ireland's comparative advantage and ensure the long-term viability of our software-dependent enterprises.

I wish every success for the future to Prof. Ryan, Prof. Pohl and all the ISERC team.

ENDS

ETE 1451