INNOVATION AND creativity in engineering will underpin the economy’s recovery and enable Ireland to compete on the global market once again, according to the president of Engineers Ireland.
“Long-term growth in Ireland must be fuelled by innovative companies,” Dr Chris Horn said yesterday. New ideas must be created, tested and proven here, and then brought to the world market, he added.
Dr Horn was speaking after the announcement of the winners of the Engineers Ireland Innovation Awards 2009.
Tidal power firm OpenHydro, which designs turbines that are mounted on the seabed, won innovative company of the year.
The innovative engineer of the year award went to Denis O’Connor, who designed a system that will be used by local authorities to monitor the quality of drinking water.
“To see such homegrown engineering creativity is extremely encouraging,” Dr Horn said.
Engineers played an “absolutely critical” role in the development of a smart economy, he added, as they focused primarily on innovation and creating new products and services.
