Minister opens €26 million iCRAG Centre

Science Foundation Ireland’s research centre iCRAG has been officially opened by Minister for Skills, Research and Innovation, Damien English TD at University College Dublin.

The Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geosciences (iCRAG) will focus on the discovery, de-risking and sourcing of raw materials, water and energy resources that are critical to our economy. It will receive funding of €18 million from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through Science Foundation Ireland’s (SFI) Research Centres Programme, with an additional €8 million from 55 industry partners that include Geoscience Ireland, Tullow Oil and Petroleum Infrastructure Programme.

Speaking at the ceremony Minister Damien English TD, said, “A key part of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs is to continue to build on the major achievements in scientific research with a focus on turning great ideas into good, sustainable jobs.  iCRAG is an exciting new research centre that will help nurture real collaboration across industry and academia in Geosciences in Ireland. It will support increased commercialisation of research which will ultimately grow jobs and support further participation in the STEM sector"

iCRAG Director, Prof John Walsh said, “Geoscience underpins the discovery of raw materials, water and energy resources that are critical to the world’s economy. With increasing demand and diminishing supply, focused innovations in geoscience are of paramount importance globally.  iCRAG, under this investment by Science Foundation Ireland, will bring together a team of leading international researchers and industry partners on issues underpinning the economic development of the country – from safe and secure groundwater supplies to the discovery of mineral/aggregate deposits, and from de-risking oil and gas exploration to educating and informing the public on geoscience-related issues.”