The new UCC Beaufort building, located in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, has been officially opened by Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

The 4,700m2 five-storey building will provide world-class infrastructure for renewable energy and maritime research.

Named after the Irish hydrographer and Beaufort Wind Scale creator, Rear Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort, the Beaufort building will house the headquarters of the multi-institutional home to the SFI MaREI Centre (Marine Renewable Energy Ireland) and the LIR National Ocean Test Facility.

Led by Professsor Conchúr Ó Brádaigh, Director of MaREI, the centre will cater for 135 researchers, industry partners and support staff, dedicated to solving the challenges related to marine renewable energy. The multi-disciplinary centre has already secured €30m in funding through Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and contracts with industry partners comprising of multinationals and SMEs.

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Taoiseach Enda Kenny said: "Marine research and development is a part of this Government's plan to rebuild a sustainable enterprise based economy. Our seas will increasingly support more jobs, enterprise and research.

"The UCC Beaufort Building, while firmly rooted on dry land, is a vessel of scientific discovery for our seas. Its world class facilities will attract world class researchers and new entrepreneurial endeavours in the maritime and energy sectors.

"The spirit of collaboration between academia, private enterprise and the Irish Naval Service in Irish maritime research is a model for public – private partnerships not only in Ireland, but globally."

(JP)