Futher funding for Lero

Amazotheamazing

irishtimes.com - Last Updated: Monday, January 30, 2012, 10:17Lero gets €22.4m funding boost

CHARLIE TAYLOR

The Irish Software Engineering Research Centre based at the University of Limerick is to receive €22.4 million in funding over the next five years, it was confirmed today.

Funding of €16 million is being provided to Lero through the Government via Science Foundation Ireland with a second-term funding of €6.4 million coming from a consortium of industry partners that includes IBM Ireland, Intel, Movidius and Fineos.

The industry contribution towards funding will be provided by numerous companies collaborating with the research centre on projects.

Lero brings together leading software engineering teams from a number of third-level institutions including the University of Limerick, Dublin City University, Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, Dundalk Institute of Technology and the National University of Ireland, Galway.

Comprising a team of 170 top-class researchers and PhD students, the centre’s research outputs have numerous applications for industry and society globally, in areas such as urban traffic control, corporate compliance systems, medical devices, financial services, ICT, mobile communications and space missions.

Since its foundation in 2005, Lero has established strategic research partnerships with over 70 multinational and indigenous companies, with research contracts having been signed with partners such as the European Space Agency and United Technologies Research Centre in Cork.

Lero, was awarded a €300,000 contract with the European Space Agency last August to work on space flight software that helps increase a satellite’s ability to correct its own errors and make decisions for itself.

Making today's announcement at the University of Limerick, Minister for Research and Innovation Seán Sherlock said the funding would "further deepen the level of collaboration with industry and provide for increased commercialisation opportunities for Ireland.”

Separately, the organisation's director, Prof Mike Hinchey, who was formerly the head of Nasa's software engineering laboratory, said the investment would help it realise a number of ambitious plans which would allow it to generate an increase in commercial potential over the next five years.

Amazotheamazing

Surprised (well not really) that there hasn't been a more positive reaction to this news. It's programmes like these that might hold the key to addressing Limerick's unemployment problem.

YFlyer

Are UL going to allow Post Docs to research for 5 years?

banie01

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Surprised (well not really) that there hasn't been a more positive reaction to this news. It's programmes like these that might hold the key to addressing Limerick's unemployment problem.

While its absolutely brilliant that such a high class and succesful R&D facility is available and indeed thriving in Limerick...
I have to disagree with the contention that it holds any key at all to Limericks unemployment problems.
Unless I'm wrong and we have a huge amount of software engineers, research fellows and validation technicians lying idle?
It is fantastic that these high quality posts are available, but they are a drop in the ocean compared to the numbers of unemployed and skillsets generally available.

Amazotheamazing

banie01 wrote: »

While its absolutely brilliant that such a high class and succesful R&D facility is available and indeed thriving in Limerick...
I have to disagree with the contention that it holds any key at all to Limericks unemployment problems.
Unless I'm wrong and we have a huge amount of software engineers, research fellows and validation technicians lying idle?
It is fantastic that these high quality posts are available, but they are a drop in the ocean compared to the numbers of unemployed and skillsets generally available.

I think we'll have to see what comes out of the R&D surely? Limerick needs more high end jobs though.

banie01

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

I think we'll have to see what comes out of the R&D surely? Limerick needs more high end jobs though.

True but by the very nature of the work this isn't the kind of research that leads to trickle down effect local job growth.
The aim is to innovate, develop and then license the software, algorithims and techniques developed to industrial and commercial users and maximise the revenue.
Its all soft skills and very high end with no real scope for developing a workforce other than allowing great revenue prospects for succesful licensing deals and local employment for PhD's.
I'd love to be wrong but unless LERO produces a manufacturable product(Which isn't its goal) or some form of Software that requires local CS/IT support I can't see it happening.

That said I think the fact that this facility is here and that we can produce the calibre of students to staff it and deliver innovative end user solutions can be a fantastic draw for companies to come to the Limerick area....
Maybe alá the silicon fen but with broader employment base opportunities.

Mr. TTime

Well said Banie01

As a managing director of a software company I am finding it next to impossible to hire a software developer with 3 years experience. There seems to be nobody around with sufficient skills or experience. Maybe if we were based in Dublin we might find it easier...

OwenM

Mr. TTime wrote: »

Well said Banie01

As a managing director of a software company I am finding it next to impossible to hire a software developer with 3 years experience. There seems to be nobody around with sufficient skills or experience. Maybe if we were based in Dublin we might find it easier...

If you were in Dublin would the salary be higher?

If so and you offer that salary in Limerick would you get any one then?

Mr. TTime

OwenM wrote: »

If you were in Dublin would the salary be higher?

If so and you offer that salary in Limerick would you get any one then?

Hasn't even got to salary at this stage. Have been advertising the job for the last few weeks and all I have been getting is recruitment agencies who seem to lurk on jobs.ie looking to sell their wares. If I found someone with the appropriate skills and experience I would pay them accordingly - just doesn't see to be many .NET guys out there looking to change jobs unfortunately and it's hindering our growth prospects.

OwenM

Mr. TTime wrote: »

Hasn't even got to salary at this stage. Have been advertising the job for the last few weeks and all I have been getting is recruitment agencies who seem to lurk on jobs.ie looking to sell their wares. If I found someone with the appropriate skills and experience I would pay them accordingly - just doesn't see to be many .NET guys out there looking to change jobs unfortunately and it's hindering our growth prospects.

I'm a software engineer (not .NET) & I changed jobs late last year, the company advertised directly on irishjobs.ie and stated at the bottom that they didn't want the assistance of agencies. I suggest you do this and put up the salary, you must know your budget for this so put up a max and min. If you don't get replies to this then I suggest you have to look at your budget.

I'm guessing that you might have existing employees that you would prefer not to see this but I was in the market and these ads were the ones I applied for first as they were serious real jobs. The agencies were absolutely pathetic, most phone calls were for totally unsuitable jobs in unsuitable locations - most of them I cut short by asking the location first. There were a lot of phone calls, there are a lot of vacancies and the agenices are looking for a lot of experience in a broad range of skills, sometimes the skill sets were so specific that only someone already working for the company would have them. In a previous job I did a job spec for a new hire and passed it on to my boss, by the time it got posted on the web the spec had so much added to it that I wouldn't have applied for the job - and I was doing it.

Mr. TTime

Thanks for the tips! Will update it now.

Apologies to the OP, I did take it slightly off-topic but any help we can get here in the mid-west re techie jobs / research projects coming can only be good news.

Cossax

Mr. TTime wrote: »

Well said Banie01

As a managing director of a software company I am finding it next to impossible to hire a software developer with 3 years experience. There seems to be nobody around with sufficient skills or experience. Maybe if we were based in Dublin we might find it easier...

As it happens, I have my CV with a software company in Dublin (exact same role as a friend with the same qualifications - in fact they asked her to get onto her classmates for our CVs) but they're also still looking for experienced programmers (and have been for nearly 3 months) and holding off looking at us poor, inexperienced graduates in the meantime.