The Commissioner for Research Science and Innovation visited the Marine Institute in Galway Friday 28th September 2012, together with Robert-Jan Smits, Director General, DG Research Science and Innovation. They participated in a round table discussion with Government officials and research and innovation organisations. The discussions centred around two Irish reports, Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth – An Integrated Marine Plan for Ireland (July 2012) and the Report of the Research Prioritisation Steering Group (March 2012), and their anticipated synergies with the European Blue Growth Strategy, Horizon 2020 and the EU Atlantic Strategy.
The participants included Tom Moran, Secretary General, Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine; Frank O’Mara, Director of Research, Teagasc; Aidan Hodson, Department of Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation; Mark Ferguson, Director General, Science Foundation Ireland; Eucharia Meehan, Director Irish Research Council; Dermot Clohessy, Industrial Development Authority; Julie Sinnamon, Executive Director, Enterprise Ireland; Tom Boland, CEO, Higher Education Authority; Declan Meally, Sustainable Energy Ireland; and Peter Heffernan, CEO Marine Institute.
Front: Eucharia Meehan, Robert-Jan Smits, Maire Geoghegan Quinn, Tom Moran, John Bell, Frank O' Meara . Back: Peter Heffernan, Tom Boland, David Beehan, Dermot Clohessy, Mark Ferguson, Declan Meally, Julie Sinnamon, Cecil Beamish.
Later that afternoon, the Commissioner opened Sea2Sky in Galway. Sea to Sky is a public event showcasing marine science, atmospherics and astronomy as part of European Researchers night.