Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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699. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide an update on the Government supported International Energy Research Centre and the involvement of University College Cork and Cork Institute of Technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34188/13]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The International Energy Research Centre (IERC) is a joint initiative between industry, Government Departments and Agencies. Established in 2010-11, it is supported by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation working with a coordinated agency project team drawn from IDA, Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.

It is hosted by the Tyndall National Institute, based in Cork and part of University College Cork. To date, six major industrial partners are formally signed up and actively engaged: Alcatel-Lucent, Bord Gáis Éireann, GM, HSG Zander, IBM and United Technologies Research Centre (UTRC). The IERC strategy is to position Ireland as a leading edge location for developing integrated energy solutions where knowledge-intensive international and Irish companies along with leading research partners will develop innovative energy solutions for global markets. Its focus is thus on turning research ideas into businesses and jobs.

Within this initiative over €5 million of research activity is underway across a number of research establishments in Ireland’s Higher Education Institutions – in NUI Galway, University College Cork, Cork Institute of Technology, University College Dublin, Dublin Institute of Technology and Limerick Institute of Technology. These activities include development of new technology solutions, such as wireless sensors for commercial buildings, home area networks and smart factories, and are linked to international research expertise in the USA, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.

Apart from its host role through the Tyndall National Institute, University College Cork is part of the research team on two projects, investigating wireless sensor technology, energy diagnostic tools for buildings and thermal storage materials. Cork Institute of Technology is part of the research team on two projects, investigating wireless sensor technology and energy diagnostic tools for buildings.