Minister Martin Announces Pilot Programme for Power Electronics Industry

Enterprise Ireland Invests €2.5Million in Pilot Programme

Micheál Martin, Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, today (Friday 10 February 2006) in Cork, announced the establishment by Enterprise Ireland of a new industry led research programme for the Power Electronics industry. The programme is aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of the Power Electronics sector in Ireland and is the first of a number of such collaborative projects to be supported by Enterprise Ireland.

Making the announcement Minister Martin said: “The power electronics sector in Ireland is a niche sector, comprised of approximately 40 firms, competing in a high-tech and highly competitive worldwide market. In order to ensure the future growth and competitiveness of the sector, it is essential to combine the strengths of our power electronics firms and our third level researchers.

“Enterprise Irelands strategy Transforming Irish Industry launched last year highlighted the importance of R&D collaboration between firms and the wider research community. This programme is an excellent example of industry-researcher collaboration and Enterprise Ireland has invested over €2.5m in support of the research it will generate. This and other investments designed to stimulate collaboration help to ensure that we maximise the return to the significant Government investment in the third level sector in Ireland.

“I congratulate Enterprise Ireland, the PEIG group, the third level institutions and the researchers here today who have developed and are participating in this significant programme. I am delighted to see such close cooperation and collaboration between industry and third level institutions. I wish the programme participants, both researchers and companies, every success for the future.” Minister Martin said.