The Marine Institute is Ireland’s national agency for marine research, technology development and innovation. Its overarching mission is "to undertake, to co-ordinate, to promote and to assist in marine research and development and to provide such services related to marine research and development, that in the opinion of the Institute will promote economic development and create employment and protect the environment."
(Marine Institute Act, 1991)
The Marine Institute, as part of its core budget, undertakes research, monitoring and assessment to ensure the sustainable development of Ireland’s 900,000 km2 marine territories
To deliver its mandate, the Marine Institute is divided into seven service areas:
- Aquaculture & Catchment Management Services
- Corporate Services
- Fisheries Science Services
- Irish Maritime Development Office
- Marine Environment & Food Safety Services
- Ocean Science Services
- Strategic Planning & Development Services
The Institute has a complement of circa 204 staff (155 scientific/technical and 49 administrative) and operates specialist laboratory facilities at its HQ in Rinville (County Galway) and at Newport (County Mayo). The Institute manages major specialist marine research infrastructures including the research vessel fleet (65m Celtic Explorer and 31m Celtic Voyager) and the national ocean data buoy and tide gauge networks.
Marine Research Funding Programme: The Irish Government’s National Development Plan (NDP) 2007-2013 (www.ndp.ie) has a Science, Technology and Innovation budget of €6.1 billion. Of this, €141 million (2.3%) is directly targeted towards a marine research programme, managed by the Marine Institute, on behalf of its’ parent Department (the Department (Ministry) of Communications, Marine & Natural Resources). These funds form one of the investment strands required to implement Sea Change: A Marine Knowledge, Research & Innovation Strategy for Ireland 2007 – 2013 (www.marine.ie/home/SeaChange.htm), for which the Marine Institute is the lead implementing agency. Sea Change provides a roadmap for selective and managed investment in marine research and innovation, incorporating applied and basic research programmes aimed at increasing industry competitiveness; building new research capacity and competency; and addressing policy issues. Sea Change will be implemented via three Research Measures (Industry, Discovery and Policy Support) and two Supporting Programmes (Innovation and Infrastructure). Over the lifetime of the NDP and the Sea Change strategy, funding will be provided for marine research activity through a range of mechanisms such as competitive calls for proposals from the research community (including industry) and the acquisition of new marine research infrastructure.
MarinERA contact person:
Mr Geoffrey O'Sullivan, Section Manager - International Co-operation
Marine Institute, 80 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2. IRELAND
gosullivan@marine.ie
