Brussels, 19 Jan 2005
A new research and development (R&D) partnership has emerged between the US, Ireland and Northern Ireland, the Irish Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Michael Martin, announced on 18 January.
The new partnership is the direct result of discussions held at the US-Ireland business summit in Washington in 2002, which led to a positive North-South joint interaction on R&D.
A task force was established to explore high-level, word class research collaboration between centres of excellence in Ireland, North and South, and the US in the areas of information and communication technologies (ICT) and biotechnology. The US element of the partnership comprises the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Welcoming the news, Mr Martin said: 'A new key US-Ireland R&D partnership, with proposals for collaboration and cooperation in the fields of [ICT], biotechnology and nanotechnology has now emerged which will be of major benefit to researchers on both sides of the Atlantic and in both parts of the island of Ireland.
'The areas chosen represent a unique opportunity in terms of research interests, healthcare and economic development, and reflect the potential for the island of Ireland to play a full and meaningful role in research areas internationally recognised to be of pivotal significance for the 21st century.'
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