Ireland science institutions

Institutions

EntityYear(s) of establishmentExplanation
Institutes of Technology1970-2000Centers for technical training. Public law basis: Vocational Education Acts 1970; Regional Technical Colleges Acts 1993. Dublin and Limerick Institutes of Technology traced origins to 19th century. (1)
Bantry Marine Research Stationn.d.History unclear. Possible predecessor was Daithi O’Murchu Marine Research Station; privatized (guess) in 2005.
Dublin City University1975n.d.
Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS)1940Public law basis: Institute for Advanced Studies Act 1940 (2)
Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin)2019 n.d.
Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation1974n.d.
Institute of Public Health1999Joint institution, under the North-South Ministerial Council; it started with a staff of three & a budget of IR£ 300k. I have no further data but it does not seem a very large initiative
Kimmage Development Studies Centre1974Established by Congregation of the Holy Spirit as training center for missionaries; transferred to Maynooth University in 2018
Marine Institute1991Public law basis: Marine Institute Act 1991
National University of Ireland (NUI)1910Includes University College Cork, University College Dublin, NUI Galway, & Maynooth University; latter formed in 1997 from secular faculties of St Patrick’s College (a Catholic institution founded 1795)
National Cancer Registry Ireland1991Collects information on cancers occurring in population usually resident in Ireland
National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT)n.d.Goal to modernize bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing
Agriculture and Food Development Authority (Teagasc)19881988 merger of An Foras Talúntais (agricultural research) & An Chomhairle Oiliúna Talmhaíochta (agricultural extension)
Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI)1960Initially established by Whitaker, an economist & civil servant, with funding from the Ford Foundation (USA), to support government decision-making.
TobaccoFree Research Institute Irelandn.d.Partnership between Office of Tobacco Control & ASH Ireland, Irish Cancer Society & Irish Heart Foundation
College of the Holy & Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin (Trinity College Dublin)1592n.d.
University of Limerick1972n.d.
Technology Centresn.d.8 centers intended to support the modernization of Irish industry, covering manufacturing, food & IT (3)
The Military College (The Curragh) (4)n.d.Training center for the Irish defense forces; includes the United Nations Training School Ireland (founded 1993)
Bord na Móna Research Centre (Droichead Nua/Newbridge)1946/1990Founded under the Turf Development Act 1946 to develop the peat lands. Bord na Mona’s technical information centre at Newbridge, County Kildare
Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI)1927/2006Created in 2006 by merger of the Science Service of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development; and the Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland.
(1) Athlone Institute of Technology; Cork Institute of Technology; Dundalk Institute of Technology; Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology; Institute of Technology Sligo; Institute of Technology, Tralee; Letterkenny Institute of Technology; Limerick Institute of Technology; Waterford Institute of Technology. Various mergers apparently planned on the TU Dublin model. (2) Walsh, 2018, Higher Education in Ireland, 1922–2016: Politics, Policy and Power, pp. 71-74. McGarrigle is evidently the key authority on the topic of the early history of DIAS; regrettably I cannot obtain an online copy of her PhD thesis, The establishment of the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies 1936-1948 (2017). (3) Technology Centres Programme 2020. Example: Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR), a Research & Technology Organisation (RTO) funded by government with goal of modernizing industry; €15m budget (2014); 60 staff (2019). (4) White Paper on Defense, August 2015, p. 32: ‘The Military College in the Defence Forces Training Centre is the primary education and training institution of the Defence Forces. It has a number of constituent schools including the United Nations Training School Ireland, which was founded in 1993. The Military College and the United Nations Training School Ireland work in conjunction with all of the other schools in the Defence Forces and currently has formal partnerships with the National University of Ireland Maynooth in respect of key aspects of Officer Education and Institute of Technology, Carlow in respect of key aspects of Non Commissioned Officer education. Education and training is conducted to the highest international standards with a focus on continuous improvement.’ There is also a (proposed?) ‘Institute for Peace Support and Leadership Training’.
Institutions mainly identified via the DBEI list of accredited research organizations. Other sources include the electronic Irish Statute Book (eISB) & general knowledge. I have not included a number of institutions on the DBEI list in the above table. These include the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland; Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland; Royal Irish Academy; Irish Traditional Music Archive; The Irish College of General Practitioners. Among the private institutions not covered in my table above but present on the DBEI list: Genomics Medicine Ireland; Accenture Global Solutions Limited; Adama Innovations Ltd; Aphelion Ltd; ARUP; Aylien Ltd; BD Research Centre Ireland Ltd; Birdwatch Ireland; Blafar Ltd; Brainwave Bank Ltd; Businesspoint Intelligence Solutions Ltd; Cell Stress Discoveries Ltd; Crème Software Ltd; Critical Path Institute Limited; CyberColloids Ltd; EirGen Pharma Ltd; EMC Information Systems International; FotoNation (previously Digital Optics); Fujitsu (Ireland) Ltd.; Galway Clinic Doughiska Limited; Global Business Register Limited; Global Oncology Services Ltd; IBM International Holdings – Ireland; Impedans Limited; LM Ericsson Limited; Logitech Ireland Services Ltd; Monaghan Biosciences; Neuromod Devices Limited; Nokia Bell Labs; Oncomark Limited; ORRECO Ltd.; Pilot Photonics Ltd; ReachOut Ireland CLG; Realtime Technologies Ltd.; Sulzer Pump Solutions Ireland Ltd; Superlum Diodes (formerly Advanced Technologies Forwarding T/A Superlum); T.E. Laboratories; United Technologies Research Centre Ireland Ltd.; Xilinx Ireland; Valitacell Ltd.

Projects

EraProjectDescription
1920n.d.Commission to inquire into the resources and industries of Ireland, was set up by Dail Eireann and Professor H. Ryan was appointed Chairman of the Committee dealing with the peat resources.
1920sShannon schemeThe biggest engineering project in Europe at the time. Hydroelectric power station (Ardnacrusha – 85 MW) + national network of electricity wires. Irish engineers + overseas devices (Siemens).
1940sLiffey schemeHydroelectric power station
1946-1964Turf ProgrammeAs part of self-sufficiency drive, 10 turf (peat) power stations were built, which by 1960s produced one third of national electricity output (see: here and here).
1974Turlough HillPumped storage hydroelectric station (292MW); largest civil engineering operation ever undertaken in the country when construction began in 1968 (see: here).
1980s/90sVideotel Eirean/Minitel Ireland; see heren.d.
Agricultural modernizationAn Foras Talúntais (agricultural research) and An Chomhairle Oiliúna Talmhaíochta (agricultural extension)
1946Bord na Mónan.d.

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