Next phase of €26.2m VistaMilk Research Ireland Centre launched
Phase 2 of the VistaMilk Research Ireland Centre, which was officially launched in Co. Cork today (Thursday, April 3), could mark a 'significant boost' to the local economy with the creation of 130 new jobs.
The centre, which is funded by Research Ireland and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), aims to "develop new, and advance existing electronic monitoring and actuation technologies to transform an already world-class dairy sector into a global leader".
VistaMilk, based at Teagasc Moorepark, Fermoy, brings together 13 Irish research institutions with industry expertise from across the agri-food, information and communications technology, and data science sectors.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, today said Ireland’s agri-food sector and in particular the dairy industry "plays a vital role not just in rural communities" but also the national economy.
Minister Heydon added: It is critical that we continue to invest, though initiatives like VistaMilk, to ensure that we remain global leaders.
"This multi-disciplinary research centre, with important industry partners, will continue to deliver real-world impact through science and collaboration.”
According to VistaMilk, it secured more than €20 million in competitive EU funding for the first phase of the research centre. It has set a similar target for phase two.
"This funding will play a critical role in driving forward world-class research and innovation while enhancing global engagement and collaboration.
"Industry backing remains strong, with over 50 partners contributing €12 million during the initial phase and continuing their support into the second phase.
"This investment reflects a balanced mix of local enterprise and foreign direct investment from leading multinational companies," the centre detailed today.
VistaMilk also said the launch of phase two underlines its "continued commitment to advancing research in areas spanning soil health, pasture management, animal wellbeing, and food innovation—delivering solutions that benefit farmers, industry, and the environment alike".
Minister of State at the DAFM, Noel Grealish, has also highlighted the "unique structure and significance of the centre’s funding".
The minister said: “VistaMilk is uniquely co-funded by two government departments—Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
"This joint investment underlines the national importance of the centre’s work, both for scientific excellence and for the future of sustainable farming in Ireland.
"I am pleased that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is investing over €8.66 million in phase two of the centre, our largest ever single investment in a research centre.”
