Minister launches Science Week with €800k funding announcement

Eva Osborne

Patrick O'Donovan officially launched Science Week 2024 on Monday and announced Government funding of €809,942 for a variety of events around the country.

The Minister for Research, Innovation and Science said the week-long event is now a "much-anticipated" Irish calendar highlight and a great opportunity for people to engage with science and research through fun, engaging and interactive events.

The theme of this year's Science Week is "regeneration", with a public call to celebrate our ability to reinvent, rejuvenate and regenerate.

Events will take place for people of all ages across Ireland from November 10th-17th, to celebrate science, technology, engineering and maths.

Speaking at the launch, Mr O’Donovan said: "I am delighted to be able to announce funding of over €800,000 from my department to directly the hosting of 33 events.

“Science is vital to our everyday lives – from protecting our natural world and creating more sustainable approaches to energy supply, to embracing technological advancements and investigating new solutions to safeguard our health.

"For this year’s Science Week, through the theme of ‘regeneration’, we are inviting people to reimagine the way we engage with the world around us and enhance our collective strengths.

"There is something for every generation to enjoy in Science Week, with hundreds of events taking place all over the country. I’m encouraging everyone to take part in Science Week, by attending a festival or event and getting involved in the stimulating activities on offer during the week.”

Dr Ruth Freeman, the director of science for society at Research Ireland, said: “Science has a profound impact on individuals, society, and the world at large in a multitude of ways. This Science Week, we explore harnessing the power of regeneration and how the decisions we make today will greatly impact future generations.

"It is important to take learnings from the past to inform our decisions for the future. and we encourage everyone to get involved in Science Week, whether at your local festival, online on social media, or with friends and family.

"Critical to the success of Science Week is the growing community of dedicated volunteers across the country who work tirelessly on delivering stimulating activities each year on top of the 33 newly funded projects we are announcing this year. We are truly thankful for their commitment to ionately promoting science among the general public.”