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THE EU is planning to spend some Euro3bn on the deployment and management of the Galileo global satellite navigation system. Galileo management and R&D will involve lucrative services contracts to the tune of Euro500m per annum that are now up for grabs. Britain, France and a score of smaller continental states are all clashing at the till in the hope of landing this EU-wide deal. But Ireland couldn't be bothered even to express an interest in hosting the base for Galileo According to our sources in the EU's Directorate General Research (DGR), Ireland was mentioned as a potentially suitable compromise location for the Galileo projects by several delegates from EU member states, including the UK and France. The majority of the EU negotiators are reportedly favouring placing the Galileo R&D outside the larger EU states. Despite this, the Irish Department of Transport - in whose hands our participation in the Galileo project rests - has not expressed any interest in attracting the contracts into Ireland. Ireland did not submit a proposal for the latest invitation to tender issued by the Directorate General Energy and Transport for Galileo Knowledge Management Facility.
According to our sources in DGR, we did not submit any bids for earlier tenders either.
According Green Party TD Eamon Ryan, "It is becoming increasingly clear that we need to move to an R&D-intensive economy. In the case of the Galileo programme, it seems that the Department of Transport is not even aware of the program bene"ts that would be of a huge concern if we were to miss such a golden opportunity."
The Sunday Tribune asked the Department of Transport to comment on the information received by us that Ireland was the only EU state that did not reply to the of"cial calls for tender submissions for Galileo projects although this call was delivered by DG Energy and Transport directly to the Minister.
The response from Department of Transport acknowledged the overall importance of Galileo project to Ireland. According to the Department reply: "To date, Ireland has not been involved in trying to locate Galileo research, management and/or administration functions in Ireland.
A number of other Member States currently have more advanced interests in satellite technology and are leading the way in relation to the EU's Galileo programme. However, Galileo is a long-term project and opportunities may arise in the future for Ireland to get more involved as the programme progresses and applications are developed."
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YOU ARE HERE: 11 November 2007 / tribune.ie / 2007 / 03 / 18
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