2005 IRISH SCIENTIST YEAR BOOK

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The Marine Institute
John Joyce
Charting a new course for Marine Research and Innovation

One of Ireland's state-of-the-art research vessels, the 65-metre RV Celtic Explorer

Between March and April 2005, the Marine Institute invited 80 national and 29 international experts to assist it in a National Marine Foresight Exercise. This was part of a national consultation project aimed at creating an agreed plan to guide Ireland's Marine Research & Innovation (R&I) Programme (2006�2012). The evolving Marine R&I Strategy takes account of the Government's document "Building Ireland's Knowledge Economy � The Irish Action Plan for Promoting Investment in R&D to 2010" and presents the marine sector's response to the challenge of transforming Ireland into a leading R&D intensive, knowledge based economy by 2010.

The Marine R&I process began in 2004 with the commissioning of several expert reports designed to inform the planning process. These included:

1.�A review of the Institute's own 1998 consultative document "A Marine Research, Technology, Development and Innovation Strategy for Ireland � A National Team Approach" which has guided not only the Institute, but also the entire Irish marine science community, from 1998 to 2005.
2.�A report 1 highlighting the contribution of the marine sector to the national economy and comparing Ireland's performance with countries such as Norway, Denmark and Canada and providing recommendations for improvement.
3.�An analysis 2 of the effect global warming is likely to have on our marine industries so that we can "climate proof" our marine industries in the future.
4.�An analysis 3 of the global market for marine industries over the period 2005-2009.

The Foresight exercise, and subsequent Marine R&I Strategy, covered the following productive sectors:

  • �Aquaculture, Seaweed and Seafood

  • �Fisheries

  • �Water-based Tourism and Leisure

  • �Energy (Oil, Gas and Offshore Renewables) and Offshore Resources

  • �Shipping and Maritime Transport

  • �Marine Environment and Sustainable Development

  • �Technology

The outputs from the Foresight process, resulted in a draft National Marine R&I Strategy (2006-2012) which comprised of three core programmes: Industry Research, Transformational Research (focussing on new and emerging marine science and technology) and Horizontal Research Programmes. This draft Marine R&I Strategy was presented to a specially convened stakeholders meeting in Dublin Castle on July 12th. Participants included representatives of fishermen's organisations, aquaculture and marine food processing groups, marine tourism and leisure interests, the shipping industry, universities and institutes of technology, private companies and interested individuals.


Pictured at Dublin Castle are Marine Minister, Pat the Cope Gallagher, T.D., Dr. Peter Heffernan, CEO Marine Institute, Ms. Yvonne Shields, Marine Institute, Mr. John Westwood, author of Marine Industries and Global Market Analysis and M.D. Douglas-Westwood Ltd.

The proposed National Marine R&I Strategy and Funding Programme, representing the agreed findings of a wide body of experts and stakeholders, is currently being discussed with the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and the Department of Finance within the context of a National R&I Strategy to follow the �2.5 billion National Development Plan (2000-2006) RTDI Funding Programme.



"By 2010 Ireland will be internationally renowned for the excellence of its research and will be at the forefront in generating and using new knowledge for economic success" Building Ireland's Knowledge Economy, the national R&D Action Plan, endorsed by the Cabinet Committee Cabinet Committee for Science & Technology at its February 2005 meeting





References

1 Marine Global Market Analysis. Marine Foresight Report No.1

2 Climate Change: Implications for Ireland's Marine Environment and Resources. Marine Foresight Report No.2

3 Ireland's Ocean Economy and Resources. Marine Foresight Report No.3

Contact: Dr John Joyce, Marine Institute; E-mail: [email protected] ;
Lisa Fitzpatrick, Marine Institute; E-mail: [email protected] ;
Web: www.marine.ie