by Seán McCárthaigh
A partnership established by two third-level colleges and the Irish Naval Service to promote the development of commercial maritime research enterprises has been effectively mothballed after being found “not fit for purpose.”
A review carried out last year of the Irish Maritime and Energy Research Cluster which is based in Ringaskiddy, concluded that its operations were “creating difficulties” and, if left unchanged, would damage the original aim of its sponsors.
IMERC was established in 2010 jointly by UCC, Cork Institute of Technology and the Irish Naval Service to promote Ireland as a world-renowned research and development location to unlock the country’s maritime and energy potential.
The review, which was commissioned by UCC and CIT, found the governance structure of IMERC was “inadequate” in providing direction to staff and guidance to key stakeholders at its Ringaskiddy campus which include the National Maritime College of Ireland, a constituent part of CIT, and the Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy (MaREI).
It warned that UCC, CIT and the Irish Naval Service were being unduly exposed to reputational and financial risk by poor public procurement, public relations and financial and human resource management at IMERC.
The report said such deficiencies needed to be rectified “to prevent damage to the reputation of Ireland’s maritime and marine sectors.”
Details of the report have only become public after the information about the operation of IMERC was sought by the Dáil Public Accounts Committee.
It found there was a lot of confusion about IMERC and its relation to the NMCI and MaREI. A report by the review group found IMERC’s mission and aims were too broad and vague which had facilitated the development of “a widely held sense of mission creep.”
“Key stakeholders expressed concern that the achievements of their distinct entities were often claimed by the institutional IMERC brand to the detriment of their institutions and the potential alienation of their funders,” the report stated.
UCC and CIT provided financial support worth around €750,000 per annum to IMERC while the Irish Naval Service provided some staff and collaboration across a range of activities.
The report said there was no shared understanding on the use of brand identities and the lack of a coherent approach had fostered mistrust.
The authors of the report warned that IMERC was having a potentially detrimental effect on MaREI as it was causing confusion amongst potential collaborative partners. Similarly they believed IMERC’s activities posed a threat to the future success of the NMCI.
Although praising the initial concept of IMERC, the report claimed it had become “real estate-focused with less attention on encouraging participation in research and innovation.”
It found the role of IMERC’s governing authority was unclear and there was no evidence it provided robust oversight.
An expert committee on which the governing authority relied for much of the governance of IMERC had not met in over a year.
The review group recommended that new governance structures needed to be put in place immediately with either UCC or CIT to assume all responsibility for all financial management of IMERC.
While the review group recognised the potential for promoting and developing the wider areas of the Port of Cork and the greater harbour facilities for commercial activity, it did not believe it was a role that suited IMERC.
UCC president, Patrick O’Shea, said that IMERC no longer had any budget or staffing and its incubation facility at Ringaskiddy was now managed jointly by UCC and CIT.
2. The publication of the above story sparked off a wave of anger and sadness among companies and individuals who had benefitted from their association with IMER which led to the following on August 20, 2017
by Seán McCárthaigh
Entrepreneurs and business owners in the marine research sector have sharply criticised the decision of UCC and the Cork Institute of Technology to withdraw funding and staffing from the Irish Maritime and Energy Research Cluster in Ringaskiddy.
They claim the winding down of the facility has deprived Ireland of “a unique, world class facility” that had attracted interest from global leaders in marine research from around the world.
Business owners who worked with IMERC claim the findings of a 2016 report used to justify its winding down were “inaccurate and biased.”
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney and The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Mark Mellett, both signalled their unhappiness with the winding down of IMERC by highlighting social media posts in recent days which described the decision as “crazy.”
IMERC was established jointly by UCC, CIT and the Naval Service in 2010 to facilitate collaboration among its partners including the National Maritime College of Ireland, a constituent part of CIT, and the Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy (MaREI) and to exploit opportunities for commercialisation of their research work.
However, IMERC has been considerably wound down following publication of the review which was commissioned by UCC and CIT last year.
The review, which was carried out by five international experts chaired by Paul Haran, a former secretary general of the Department of Enterprise and Employment, concluded that the set-up of IMERC was “not fit for purpose” and could undermine the work of both the NMCI and MaREI.
It also claimed poor financial management, procurement processes and public relations was exposing UCC and CIT to reputational and financial risk.
Following completion of the Haran report, UCC and CIT decided IMERC would no longer having its own funding or staffing with its incubation facility at Ringaskiddy now managed jointly by the two colleges.
UCC president, Patrick O’Shea, told the Dáil Public Accounts Committee last month that the implementation of IMERC’s ambitious plans going forward would have required it to establish its own corporate or legal entity which would have presented difficulties for the Irish Naval Service.
The decision to remove funding and staffing of IMERC by UCC and CIT has been widely criticised since it was revealed by the Irish Examiner last week.
Andrew Parish, an entrepreneur and business start-up mentor who worked with IMERC on a regular basis, said there was anger and frustration at the decision.
“IMERC should have been celebrated as a shining example of the value of joint industry and academic clusters. We had this unique combination of academic research, vocational training and access to the Irish Naval Service which had the potential to create a world class centre of excellence for marine technology,” said Mr Parish.
He claimed IMERC was successful in attracting both start-up businesses and existing global leaders in the sector who greatly valued the way it facilitated mentoring, networking and collaboration.
Mr Parish criticised the report for failing to reflect the value that IMERC had delivered to businesses and entrepreneurs which had been based in the Ringaskiddy campus in the past seven years
Rory Fitzpatrick, another entrepreneur who had been assisted by IMERC, described the report’s findings as “truly bizarre.”
Mr Fitzpatrick, said he and other business founders had been interviewed by the review panel and had provided feedback that was positive and supportive of IMERC.
“We were all amazed with the tone and findings of the review,” said Mr Fitzpatrick who described it as “a hatchet job.”
“It’s a sad thing that we’re throwing away an opportunity to develop a genuinely trans-European marine hub,” said Mr Fitzpatrick.
He blamed the decision on “petty institutional politics” which had “thrown a talented team under a bus.”
Mr Fitzpatrick said marine experts from the UK and mainland Europe had visited Ringskiddy to try and copy what was being done at IMERC.
“They clearly saw IMERC as a wonderful example of what could be done with proper cooperation,” he added.
A spokesperson for UCC could not be contacted over the weekend.
3. The views of the Irish Naval Service on the closure of IMERC was unknown, despite their partnership in the project along with CIT and UCC. Efforts to elicit their views was met with a muted response once the Department of Defence stepped in to field media questions on behalf of the Defence Forces. Written on August 23, 2018
by Seán McCárthaigh
The Irish Naval Service has declined to comment directly on the decision by UCC and Cork Institute of Technology to wind down an award-winning and unique collaborative initiative involving the three parties which was designed to make Ireland a world-leader in the commercialisation of marine research projects.
Entrepreneurs in the sector have sharply criticised the decision by UCC and CIT to withdraw funding and staffing from the Irish Marine and Energy Research Cluster (IMERC) in Ringaskiddy.
The decision was made on foot of a controversial 2016 report commissioned by the two colleges into the operation of IMERC – an initiative which was established jointly by UCC, CIT and the Naval Service in 2010 – which concluded it was “not fit for purpose.”
IMERC was set up to facilitate collaboration among its partners including the National Maritime College of Ireland, a constituent part of CIT, and the Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy (MaREI) which is coordinated by UCC.
Start-up businesses which benefited from their association with IMERC through its incubation hub on the Ringaskiddy campus have expressed anger and frustration in recent weeks following publication of the report which warned that UCC, CIT and the Irish Naval Service were being unduly exposed to reputational and financial risk by poor public procurement, public relations and financial and human resource management at IMERC.
They claimed its findings were “inaccurate and biased” and failed to reflect their positive view of IMERC’s role in assisting new businesses in the marine research sector.
A number of sources close to IMERC have confirmed that the Irish Naval Service was “very unhappy” with the decision to effectively shut down IMERC.
In a statement issued through the Department of Defence although questions were submitted directly to the Irish Naval Service, no comment was provided on its attitude to the report’s findings and the related decision by UCC and CIT to withdraw funding and staffing from IMERC.
The Department of Defence also failed to respond directly to a series of questions about the Irish Naval Service’s role in events given its joint partnership in IMERC with UCC and CIT.
A Department of Defence spokesperson said the Irish Naval Service continued to enjoy a good relationship with both colleges.
“The Naval Service also continues to collaborate closely with both institutions in research projects through their constituent research centres and particular academic departments,” the spokesperson said.
In an unreported speech last March, the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Mark Mellett, praised the achievements of IMERC in its short history as being “quite remarkable.”
In his profile on the website of the Defence Forces, the Chief of Staff is described as “a founding member and champion” of IMERC.
Addressing the Philip Monahan Memorial Lecture in UCC on the theme of the importance of diversity, Vice Admiral Mellett highlighted the Ringaskiddy campus as a case study in what could be achieved through public-private partnerships.
“It facilitated innovation and diversity by connecting the dots between the main partners and disparate enterprise and civil society players leading to disruptive outcomes,” he remarked. “For us in the Defence Forces initiatives such as IMERC have the potential to change the military from being seen just as a cost centre to being an investment centre, with the potential to be, in some instances, a profit centre.”
The Chief of Staff said the success of IMERC had been referenced in the current Programme for Government as well as the White Paper on Defence.
Noting that IMERC’s future was under review at the time, Vice Admiral Mellett said he believed “with the right leadership the concept has significant potential to move into a new phase.”
He added: “It is important to accept that in driving innovation the status quo will be challenged, cultures will be questioned and there will be little room for egos and off course mistakes will happen.”
The Chief of Staff acknowledged that errors inevitably happened in “complex institutional arrangements.”
Vice Admiral Mellett said the cluster’s collaborative approach had secured over €50m in State funding which had led to the establishment of the largest wave energy research facility in the world in the Beaufort laboratory located at Ringaskiddy as well as MaREI.
He noted IMERC had also stimulated the “Entrepreneurship”, the world’s first maritime energy technology and innovation centre and had contributed to the establishment of the European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre at the Tyndall National Institute in Cork.
Vice Admiral Mellett said IMERC had found solutions to problems identified by the Naval Service across areas such as renewable energy, wireless technology, surveillance, security, firefighting and robotics.
“The research community get a challenging real world problem, the Defence Forces get a new capability or technology solution and the enterprise get new IP (intellectual property) or a job creating opportunity,” he said.
The Chief of Staff pointed out how kite sail technology had major potential in the areas of both energy saving and surveillance.
4. The ongoing controversy about the closure of IMERC led to a number of a parliamentary questions being put down by Seán Sherlock who had been supportive of IMERC's plan while a Minister of State for Trade Development. The response provided this report from October 11, 2017
by Seán McCárthaigh
No prior warning was given to the Government by UCC and Cork Institute of Technology about their controversial decision to withdraw funding and staffing from an award-winning start-up business hub in which the Naval Service was a joint partner.
Three Government ministers have confirmed their departments were not consulted by the colleges over the effective shutting down of the Irish Maritime and Energy Research Cluster in Ringaskiddy in March. UCC and CIT decided to cease support for IMERC on foot of a highly critical and controversial report they had commissioned into its operations and governance in 2016.
IMERC was established in 2010 to facilitate a unique collaboration among its partners including the CIT’s National Maritime College of Ireland and UCC’s Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy (MaREI) and the Naval Service. T
he review commissioned concluded that it was “not fit for purpose” and could undermine the work of both the NMCI and MaREI.
However, entrepreneurs and business owners in the marine research sector sharply criticised UCC and CIT for winding down what they described as “a unique, world class facility.”
They expressed both anger and frustration that its incubation hub on the Ringaskiddy campus was closed on the basis of a report whose findings they claimed were “inaccurate and biased.”
The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald, said no funding had been provided by her department to IMERC under the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions. Ms Fitzgerald said her department was committed to supporting research and innovation in the marine sector to exploit its potential for enterprise development and job creation.
She pointed out it had funded the establishment of MaREI with investment of €18.9m.
The junior Education Minister, Mary Mitchell O’Connor said neither her department nor the Higher Education Authority had been involved in the review of IMERC.
Ms Mitchell O’Connor said she understood the two colleges had decided to segregate the different roles of IMERC and refine and enhance the original Memorandum of Agreement to support collaboration in teaching and research.
In response to a parliamentary question from Cork East TD, Seán Sherlock, she said UCC and CIT were engaging with Cork Co Council as the body already charged with the economic development of Cork Harbour about inward investment opportunities.
“The IMERC start-up incubation facility, the “Entrepreneurship” is now being managed jointly by UCC and CIT through existing structures and the UCC staff members involved in IMERC are working in UCC,” she added.
Junior defence minister, Paul Kehoe, said key personnel in the Naval Service had been interviewed as part of the review of IMERC.
However, he said neither the Department of Defence nor the Naval Service were consulted on the decision to withdraw staffing and funding from the facility.
Mr Kehoe said the Naval Service was continuing to enjoy a very good working relationship with UCC and CIT and was collaborating closely with both colleges in research projects through their constituent research centres and particular academic departments.
Last week, ISME, the small business group, called for the re-establishment of IMERC before the end of the year.
ISME chief executive, Neil McDonnell expressed regret at what he described as one hugely successful initiative had been closed down due to a "puzzling corporate governance review."
"IMERC was ahead of its time in identifying opportunities in the maritime sector for Ireland," Mr O'Donnell said.
He added: "Whatever the local reasons behind IMERC's demise, we can't afford to dawdle in getting it, or something like it, back in action before the year is out. The size of the prize is too great."
He called for the opportunity not to be lost to use the talent, intellect and corporate memory that still existed in Cork.
by Seán McCárthaigh
The Department of Defence tried to hide strong criticism by the Irish Naval Service of the decision by UCC and the Cork Institute of Technology to shut down an award-winning maritime research initiative in which it was a co-founder, it has emerged.
Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show the Naval Service claimed a report used by the two colleges to justify the closure of the Irish Marine and Energy Research Cluster (IMERC) in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork contained “inaccuracies and unsubstantiated assertions.”
A senior naval officer expressed concern that the flawed report could result in reputational damage for the Naval Service and individual officers.
The decision to wind down the initiative which was designed to make Ireland a world-leader in the commercialisation of marine research projects was made on foot of a controversial report commissioned by UCC and CIT in 2016 which concluded it was “not fit for purpose.”
The Naval Service described the decision to close IMERC as “short-sighted” given the time and effort that had been given by everyone involved in the project and “its significant achievements and impacts.”
It confirmed it had no role in the decision to close the facility despite being a joint partner in its operations.
The Naval Service’s criticism of the closure of the business incubation hub in Ringaskiddy was contained in a draft media reply which was never issued.
Instead, the Department of Defence issued a statement in which it claimed the Naval Service continued to enjoy good relations with UCC and CIT and to collaborate closely with them on research projects.
Documents now show the Department of Defence informed the Defence Forces that it did not consider it “appropriate” to respond in detail to questions posed by a journalist.
The department’s head of operations, Clare Tiernan, said she believed that it “would be better to issue a general response to the questions asked rather than an individual response to each question.”
Ms Tiernan said the responses proposed by the Naval Service “give rise to serious further questions on the governance structure provided by IMERC’s governing authority.”
The senior civil servant also expressed concern that “these issues are now being raised through the media over a year after the independent report has been published.”
Details of the report only become public earlier this year after questions about IMERC were raised by the Dáil Public Accounts Committee.
In the original draft response, Commodore Hugh Tully, the Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Service, said it was his understanding that inaccuracies in the IMERC review would be addressed in a further report but it did not happen to the satisfaction of the Naval Service.
“There was no apparent financial review carried out as part of the review process and yet the review made some significant unsupported findings” Cmdre Tully said.
“The review did not highlight the substantial achievements and impacts of IMERC and this remains an outstanding issue.”
Asked if he believed the Naval Service’s views had been incorporated in the review of IMERC, Cmdre Tully replied: “It wasn’t apparent.”
Records show that Cmdre Tully wanted to answer the questions directly “to accurately reflect his position on IMERC” and “to ensure the list of IMERC achievements were recognised.”
While Cmdre Tully did not insist on his reply being released to the media he asked that any alternative response would be issued by the Department of Defence as it was “not representative of his views.”
Documents also show the Naval Service had no role in setting the terms of reference of the review of IMERC and it was only presented with the report after it had been already been accepted by the presidents of UCC and CIT.
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