Tánaiste Congratulates Institutes of Technology on Creation of 1,000 Jobs

“Reach out to regional enterprise and deliver more value for State investment in research”, Tánaiste tells Ireland’s 14 Institutes of Technology

The number of people employed in campus incubation companies managed by Ireland’s Institutes of Technology has broken through the 1,000 mark. The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Mary Coughlan, T.D. used the opening of the Enterprise Ireland funded Wireless Sensor Applied Research laboratory (WiSAR) in Letterkenny IT today (Monday 8^th December) as a platform to congratulate the Institutes on this achievement and issue a ‘call to action’ to the 14 Institutes of Technology.

The Tánaiste urged the Institutes to intensify their efforts to work with companies in regional areas to deliver value for money from the State’s investment in their applied research capabilities.

“Creating 1,000 new jobs is no easy feat, but we must see more of this type of activity. It is no coincidence that the opening of the WiSAR Lab coincides with Global Business Incubation Day – I chose this date and event to highlight how much can be achieved when researchers and companies work together. I am calling on every Institute of Technology to ramp-up their activities with local enterprise and to seek out opportunities for collaboration which add value to companies in regional locations” said the Tánaiste.

Paul Hannigan, President of Letterkenny IT said that his research teams are actively engaged with companies not just in Donegal but in surrounding counties, north and south of the border. “The WiSAR research team is collaborating with 8 companies in the region that will directly benefit from our research on wireless sensors. Our door is always open to companies that wish to use research and innovation to adapt and grow their business” said Hannigan.

The WiSAR Lab has received €1.25 from Enterprise Ireland to create a centre of excellence in wireless sensor technology at Letterkenny IT. The WiSAR research team will look at how sensors can be worn on the body to monitor old people living alone or sick people who are outside the hospital. They will also work on using these wireless sensors to increase the energy efficiency of buildings by monitoring temperature, light and people movement.

Feargal Ó Móráin, Executive Director of Enterprise Ireland said that the WiSAR Lab was successful in its funding application because of its strong industry focus and links with local companies. “Regional enterprise is vitally important, now more than ever and the Institutes of Technology have a unique and critical role to play by delivering new technologies and innovative solutions to companies in their locality. Letterkenny IT and the other 13 Institutes are key partners in our effort to increase productivity, exports and jobs in towns around Ireland” he said.

ENDS/ETE1987