Ireland's Application for Membership of CERN: Statements
Seanad Éireann — 2023-05-09
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Regina Doherty (FG), Nominated by the Taoiseach

I thank the Minister of State for coming in and giving us this good news today. I am delighted to be able to talk about Ireland's application to CERN and why we should apply. First, membership of CERN will provide an opportunity for Irish scientists and engineers, the people who are listening to us today, to join a world-class research community and collaborate with international resources and researchers. The collaboration will allow Irish scientists to participate in ground-breaking research projects and develop new skills, new technologies and most important, knowledge. This in turn will have a far-reaching effect and benefit for Ireland's scientific community, providing them with access to cutting-edge facilities and global networks of researchers to learn from and to share with.
Second, the high-tech industry is one of the key drivers of the Irish economy. We laud it and are world-renowned for it. Joining CERN would benefit the Irish industry significantly. Ireland could invest in CERN's cutting-edge technologies. We could acquire valuable knowledge and expertise and use this knowledge to create more high-tech jobs in Ireland. This move would also attract international companies. It would give them another reason to come here as they would seek to benefit from expertise in particle physics and technological innovation.
Third, CERN has a very strong record of transferring knowledge and technology that can be applied to industry, medicine and other fields. Accidental discoveries in physics have also led to the development of technologies such as the World Wide Web, MRI scanners and PET scanners.
Being part of CERN would give Ireland that opportunity to benefit from this transfer of knowledge and technology.
Fourth, CERN membership would allow Ireland to be part of a broader scientific and educational community that is actively engaged in promoting and supporting science education. Dedicated CERN programmes designed to support science education and outreach activities, such as the CERN summer student programme and the teacher programmes that Senator Malcolm Byrne spoke about, help to promote science education for young learners right across Europe.
Finally, CERN membership would significantly raise Ireland's scientific profile, promoting the country as a leader in scientific research and technological innovation, and highlighting its commitment to science education and advancements. This would help to attract global attention to Ireland's scientific and high-tech industries, leading to new investments, new partnerships and collaborations with international organisations. I believe that joining CERN would be a significant benefit to Ireland. It would promote scientific excellence, technological innovation and strong international partnerships. It would allow Irish scientists and engineers to collaborate on cutting-edge research projects and acquire new skills and knowledge.
As for the €300,000 mentioned by the Minister of State as the annual outlay, we would get that back in spades - not just in multiples, but multiples of multiples. I look forward to the deadlines and the dates that the Minister of State has set down. Hopefully, we will be back here when we get our associate membership and then our full membership, and enjoy the benefits in Irish society and among the Irish educational, research and scientific communities.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2023-05-09/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:51:52+00:00
Sitting date: 2023-05-09