€460M Investment Launches Seven New Irish Research Centers

A €460 million investment will establish seven new Research Ireland network (Rinn) research centers across the country, with South East Technological University (SETU) researchers playing a key role in three of them. Announced on Wednesday by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, the initiative aims to bolster research in areas including artificial intelligence, advanced therapies, and quantum technologies. Minister Lawless stated, “The scale and scope of this €460 million investment is a powerful statement of Ireland’s ambition in research and innovation.” Research Ireland centers have, over the last 13 years, fundamentally reshaped Ireland’s innovation landscape, turning research into societal and economic impact. The new Rinn network will connect researchers from 17 institutions to address challenges and opportunities facing society and industry.

€460 Million Investment Launches Seven New Rinn Research Centres

This financial commitment, spanning the last 13 years, will establish seven Rinn research centers focused on strategically important areas for Ireland’s future. The initiative aims to expand the existing Research Ireland network and its impact. Dr. Diarmuid O’Brien, CEO of Research Ireland, described the Rinn network as fostering “excellent multidisciplinary research, radical collaboration and deep connectivity at scale,” with the goal of creating an impactful research ecosystem. SETU is directly involved in three of these centers; Dr Ray Griffin and Dr Aisling Tuite will contribute to Rinn Artificial Intelligence, while Dr Niall O’Reilly of the PMBRC at SETU will participate in Rinn Pharma & Biopharma, and Dr Deirdre Kilbane of the Walton Institute will join Rinn Quantum.

Collectively, these centers are projected to support over 577 research positions and facilitate more than 800 PhD opportunities, while also attracting an estimated additional €500 million in investment from industry partners. Prof Veronica Campbell, President of SETU, welcomed the announcement as a significant vote of confidence in Ireland’s research and innovation ecosystem, adding, “SETU is proud to be part of three of these major national research centers.” The Rinn centers are scheduled to begin operations in July and will function as a coordinated network for the next eight years.

This funding, channeled through Research Ireland, aims to bolster research across seven key strategic areas and reshape the nation’s innovation trajectory over the coming years. Specifically, SETU researchers will actively participate in Rinn centers dedicated to artificial intelligence, pharmaceutical development, and quantum technologies, demonstrating a commitment to multidisciplinary scientific advancement. Prof Veronica Campbell, President of SETU, affirmed this investment and highlighted SETU’s pride in contributing to advancements crucial to Ireland’s future prosperity.

Rinn Network Goals: Collaboration, Talent & Economic Impact

Minister James Lawless TD’s announcement of the €460 million investment in research and innovation represents a thirteen-year commitment to reshaping Ireland’s innovation capacity, with the newly established Rinn network at its core. This financial commitment is projected to leverage an additional €500 million from industry and other sources, demonstrating a strategy focused on amplifying impact through collaborative partnerships with over 200 industry partners. The initiative aims to influence economic development and attract foreign direct investment across the country, and is not solely about academic research. South East Technological University’s (SETU) involvement in three of these centers, focusing on artificial intelligence, medicines development, and quantum technologies, highlights the university’s growing research strength.