€3.17m building extension opened at Teagasc Moorepark
A €3.17 million building extension to the facilities at Teagasc's dairy research centre at Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork has been opened.
The extension to the Paddy O'Keefe Innovation Centre was opened by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon and Minister of State with responsibility for research and development Noel Grealish.
The Paddy O'Keefe Innovation Centre caters for work on the advancement of grassland and dairy farming, and Teagasc said the new extension will enhance capacity in research for the Irish agri-food sector, Teagasc said.
The opening was also attended by stakeholders from across the agri-food industry, research community and local government, as well as senior staff from Teagasc.
Speaking at the opening, Minister Heydon said: "My department, in collaboration with the Irish agri-food sector, will continue to invest in science-based solutions in order for the agricultural sector to embrace the challenges and opportunities it faces now and into the future.
"My department is happy to support the investment in research and innovation facilities, helping to underpin the development of the agri-food sector," Minister Heydon added.
Minister Grealish commented: "I am delighted to mark the opening of this €3.17 million extension to Paddy O'Keefe Innovation Centre for the advancement of Irish grassland and dairying.
"The extension will provide important new facilities for researchers and associated support staff, many of whom are working on projects funded by [the department].
"It will ensure that Ireland continues to stand out globally as a leader in sustainable, competitive, and technologically driven grassland dairy research," Minister Grealish added.
The new extension is funded in part by the department. The area of the building is 658m2, resulting in a space that can accommodate up to 50 Teagasc staff and research students.
It includes modern office facilities; collaborative work areas for research teams; environmentally sustainable design features; and enhanced facilities for stakeholder engagement and outreach.
The facility will be used to accommodate researchers, post-doctorate researchers and post-graduate students. This facility will allow Teagasc to expand its programme and invest in science-based solutions for the agri-food sector in Ireland.
Teagasc said that the new facilities are required as a result of an expansion of the research programme at Teagasc Moorepark, particularly with phase two of the VistaMilk research centre, resulting in additional people being based at the Moorepark site.
Prof. Frank O' Mara, director of Teagasc, said: "Investment in facilities underpins the research programme in Teagasc and allows greater ambition when planning research activities.
"It is just 10 years since the Paddy O'Keefe Innovation Centre was first opened and since then, the research programme has grown from strength to strength, driven by ever changing challenges in the agri-food industry," Prof. O' Mara added.
Teagasc said the facility is now fully operational and at capacity and will support Teagasc's ongoing work in delivering science-based solutions for the Irish agri-food sector.
