EU Commissioner officially launches An tSli Ghlas - the Green Way
-22 November 2010

EU Commissioner Maire Geoghegan Quinn will be making her keynote address "Investment in Research and Innovation - the path to economic recovery" at 10am this morning in the Helix, DCU

Interviews are available this morning with Tony Boyle, Chairman, Steering Group, Green Way by contacting Ina Foley on 087 8394000

News Release 22 November 2010

EU Commissioner officially launches An tSlí Ghlas-The Green Way

Ireland's First Green Economic Zone
Five year target of 10,000 jobs
7 projects already underway
- Cleantech Wetlabs space at advanced planning stage
- DIT Dublin Energy Lab starts re-skilling workers
- Regeneration of Dublin Airport Central Area initiated as hub for clean tech
- Green Start programme begins mentoring Cleantech entrepreneurs
- Ballymun Rediscovery Centre waste management initiative growing rapidly
- New Environmental Health Sciences Institute on DIT's Grangegorman Campus
- Agreement for Energy Product Innovation Centre in place

Industry, academic institutions and local authorities have joined forces to develop Ireland's first Green Economic Zone, An tSlí Ghlas- The Green Way, launched today (Monday, 22nd November 2010) by the European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn at a reception hosted by Professor Brian MacCraith, President of Dublin City University.

An tSlí Ghlas -The Green Way - which already has a number of enterprises and projects established - has been initiated by a powerful alliance of businesses, academic institutions and local authorities including Ballymun Regeneration, Dublin Airport Authority, Dublin City University, Dublin Institute of Technology, Fingal County Council, Dublin City Council and North Dublin Chamber.

The goal of An tSlí Ghlas-The Green Way is to position Ireland as a centre of Cleantech innovation and enterprise which will link business to investors and develop trade partnerships with other major international green corridors such as the US East Bay Green Corridor Partnership and Lahti Cleantech Science Park in Finland.

An tSlí Ghlas- The Green Way was conceived in response to the 2009 Report of the Government's High-Level Action Group on Green Enterprise which stated that "Ireland needs to develop one or more green zones in order to create an environment that can support the development of green enterprise and be used to market Ireland overseas".

Speaking at the launch, Dublin City University President, Professor Brian MacCraith said, "We are very confident about the success of this exciting venture for many reasons. In particular our real point of difference is that the key constituents and assets are already in place, and we are ready to do business with a team of partners all sharing a common goal and vision.

"DCU and DIT have a long and established tradition of engagement with industry and our links with business are well regarded both in Ireland and overseas. An tSlí Ghlas - The Green Way, drawing on our collective research expertise, will become a focused, internationally recognised hub for Cleantech businesses."MacCraith said

Tony Boyle, Chairman of the Steering Committee for the An tSlí Ghlas -The Green Way said: "We wish to create an internationally recognised green economic zone and position Ireland as a leader in the world's most exciting and rapidly growing sector. The potential of this project, which builds on our existing assets and infrastructure, is that it can assist in the transformation of our economy."

Boyle added: "Many projects are already underway. Designated Wetlab space for Cleantech industries are at advanced planning stage, the DIT Dublin Energy Lab with Ballymun Regeneration Ltd is providing training and re-skilling of building trade workers for the clean tech industries. DAA are regenerating the airport central area as a hub for Cleantech FDI. DAA have also just launched T2 which will obviously assist in connecting An tSlí Ghlas -The Green Way to emerging Cleantech centres in Europe, China, India and the U.S.

Boyle continued "The Green Start pilot programme has started to provide mentoring and training for Cleantech entrepreneurs. Ballymun, which has been acclaimed as Green Community of the Year for 2010, has seen the establishment of the Rediscovery Centre initiative, which encompasses all elements of waste management and currently employs 20 people in sustainable design, research and enterprise development".

"One of the first facilities in DIT's new Grangegorman Campus is the Environmental Health Sciences Institute which involves DCU and DCC. DIT is also working on the establishment of an Energy Product Innovation Centre on behalf of An tSlí Ghlas--The Green Way partners in collaboration with the University of Houston, Texas" Boyle continued.

Professor Brian MacCraith added, "An tSlí Ghlas-The Green Way has a vision to play a major role in developing Ireland as a global centre and leader in Cleantech. This is the right time for academic institutions, businesses and local authorities to come together to make this vision a reality. An tSlí Ghlas -The Green Way will deliver investment and job creation and ultimately play a significant part in the economic recovery and transformation of the country. Along with our partners DCU is happy to play such a pivotal role in making this happen."

Ends

Note to editors:

A Cleantech business is defined as one which encompasses knowledge-based products and services which optimise use of natural resources, add economic value compared to traditional alternatives and have global applications across all industry processes through resource efficiency.

Cleantech has enormous multi-decade growth potential and is the largest job and wealth creation opportunity of the 21st century, with the next Google's, Pfizer's, IBM's and GE's all likely to emerge from the Cleantech sector over the coming decades.

The Cleantech market was conservatively estimated at EUR2.8 billion by Forfás in 2008 with over 6,500 people employed. The global Cleantech market is projected to reach EUR1 trillion by 2017.