Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne T.D. has today announced construction is to start on the UrbanLab project at the University of Galway. The works are a milestone in the plans for the Galway Innovation & Creativity District, led by the University in partnership with Galway City Council and funded under the Government’s Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF). The UrbanLab is the first project to commence on site as part of the €4.3million URDF funding investment for the Galway Innovation & Creativity District. It involves the redevelopment of an old mill building at the University of Galway on Nuns' Island in Galway city. The historic property dates back to the 1850s and originally formed part of the Persse’s Distillery complex. The redevelopment will see it brought back into use as a dedicated and flagship space in which to bring together communities to work on new ideas and solutions for city life. The UrbanLab will focus on innovation in sustainable urban development, public and community engagement and interdisciplinary research and collaboration between the University, the City and the diverse communities who live in, work in and visit it. Minister Browne said: “The UrbanLab is an exciting and timely initiative. The commencement of works marks a key step forward in shaping a resilient, inclusive urban future. The UrbanLab, housed in this beautiful historic structure, supported by the Urban Regeneration Development Fund, is a flagship initiative by the University of Galway focused on sustainable urban development, community engagement and interdisciplinary research. It brings together communities to work on new ideas and solutions for city life. The UrbanLab will be a shared space where people can learn, talk, and do research together.” Interim President of University of Galway, Professor Peter McHugh, said: “The concept behind the University of Galway UrbanLab is a powerful expression of the opportunity that we can afford to our city and community to develop solutions which can transform Galway and the wider region, both to live and work in. The Government’s Urban Regeneration Development Fund makes that happen and we look forward to people coming together to imagine and shape a better Galway.” Leonard Cleary, Chief Executive of Galway City Council, said: “This project is a strong example of what can be achieved through collaboration between the University, the Council, based on real community feedback contained within the Nuns' Island Masterplan. With URDF support, we are restoring a historic building and transforming it into a dynamic space for innovation, engagement focussed on sustainable urban development. The UrbanLab will help us shape a more inclusive, resilient, and forward-thinking Galway.” Dr Pat Collins, Lecturer in Economic Geography at University of Galway, said: “At its heart, the UrbanLab is about the people of Galway having a voice in shaping the future of Galway. This will be a space to meet, to learn, to decide and to dream about what a better Galway might look like.” Local building contractor, McNamara Construction, have been appointed to the construction project. Works are expected to be completed in early 2026. Ends

A new study led by University of Galway finds proposed Irish climate targets protect methane emission privileges at the expense of poorer nations' development.  The transition to a sustainable and equitable food system is being undermined by a new approach to climate target setting by livestock exporting countries such as Ireland and New Zealand, an international study by climate scientists has warned.  The study led by University of Galway in partnership with the University of Melbourne, University College Cork and Climate Resource has been published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.   The scientists have called out the new “temperature neutrality”, also known as "no additional warming", which allows Ireland to maintain a high share of global agricultural methane emissions while claiming to meet its climate targets.  This approach dramatically reduces the level of ambition needed for overall greenhouse gas emission reduction. The resulting targets have been proposed to the Irish Government by the Climate Change Advisory Council, in part to reduce potential disruption from Ireland’s legal commitment to achieve national climate neutrality by 2050.  Temperature neutrality is a concept based on stabilising a country’s contribution to global warming, rather than aiming for the more ambitious, established target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions. In effect, temperature neutrality requires modest reductions in methane emissions from high-emitting countries, denying methane emission “rights” to countries with low methane emissions. As methane emissions are strongly linked with agricultural production, widespread adoption of temperature neutrality would lock-in current inequalities in the global food system, by reducing the need to curtail or offset methane emissions in current livestock exporting countries such as Ireland.   The study shows that such exports overwhelmingly go to other wealthy, food-secure countries. Meanwhile, temperature neutrality severely restricts the development space for agriculture in low-income, food-insecure countries where livestock products are most needed to improve nutrition.   Furthermore, the temperature neutrality approach underestimates the level of emissions offsetting required in livestock exporting countries, delaying the development of new markets for farmers in those countries to deliver solutions to the climate and biodiversity crises.       Lead scientist, Dr Colm Duffy, Honorary Lecturer in Agri-Sustainability, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences and Ryan Institute, University of Galway, said: “If every country adopted a temperature neutrality target, we’d seriously jeopardise the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C, or even 2°C.  “Worse still, this approach doesn’t just weaken climate ambition, it entrenches inequality. It protects the status quo for wealthy countries while placing an unfair burden on poorer, food-insecure countries, limiting their ability to grow their own food systems.”   The international research team ran a number of scenarios to assess the impact of the policy - which has also been proposed in New Zealand - on global mean temperatures.   Apart from “business as usual”, the temperature neutrality approach performed the worst in terms of global warming emissions.   By 2050, Ireland’s per capita methane emissions would remain almost six times the global average.   Dr Duffy added: “The science shows that the new policy essentially grandfathers methane emissions - meaning a country’s future share of warming is based not on equity or ambition, but on historical share of emissions. In essence; 'I had more, so I get more'.”  Dr Róisín Moriarty, Research Fellow at the Sustainability Institute at UCC, said: "A ‘no additional warming’ approach to target setting amounts to backsliding on a country’s commitment to the Paris Agreement and is not a reflection of ‘highest possible ambition'. With less than 3 years of global carbon budget remaining to limit warming to 1.5°C, with a 50% chance of achieving it, countries around the world need to do as much as they possibly can to achieve the rapid, deep and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions needed to keep within the 1.5°C temperature goal."  Professor Hannah Daly, Professor in Sustainable Energy at UCC, said: "Methane emissions are responsible for around 40 per cent of global warming to date – methane’s short lifetime in the atmosphere means that cutting its emissions is an essential lever to limit global warming to safe levels. For a country like Ireland, with outsized methane emissions, to base our long-term climate target on simply stabilising warming is inadequate to meet our global obligations and sets a dangerous precedent.”  David Styles, Associate Professor in Agri-Sustainability, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences and Ryan Institute, University of Galway, said: “Ireland’s agricultural sector has huge potential to contribute towards a future climate neutral and biodiverse economy, but this requires big changes over time. Establishing a robust and internationally defendable climate target is vital to plan for a just transition, not just internationally, but for Ireland’s farmers. Temperature neutrality falls short.”   Dr Duffy is a Research Fellow on the FORESIGHT project and Honorary Lecturer in the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences at University of Galway. He was one of a number of signatories to an open letter that criticises a similar policy proposal in New Zealand.   The research was supported by funding from the Department of Climate Energy and the Environment for the FORESIGHT and CAPACITY climate modelling teams.  The full study can be read here: 10.1088/1748-9326/adf12d   Ends 

An tOllamh David J. Burn, Leas-Seansailéir Ionaid Dhámh na nEolaíochtaí Leighis, Ollscoil Newcastle, le tosú ar a théarma i mí Mheán Fómhair 2025. D’fhógair Ollscoil na Gaillimhe inniu gurb é an tOllamh David J. Burn an 14ú hUachtarán atá á cheapadh ar an Ollscoil le héifeacht ón 8 Meán Fómhair 2025. Tiocfaidh an tOllamh Burn i gcomharbacht ar an Ollamh Peter McHugh a raibh an post aige ar bhonn eatramhach ó Mheán Fómhair 2024. Bhí an tOllamh Burn ina Leas-Seansailéir Ionaid ar Dhámh na nEolaíochtaí Leighis, Ollscoil Newcastle ó 2017 i leith, áit a raibh sé i gceannas ar mhórthionscnaimh athruithe a bhain le hathstruchtúrú na foirne teagaisc, luas a chur faoi fheidhmíocht taighde, comhionannas, éagsúlacht agus cuimsiú a chur chun cinn agus borradh a chur faoin idirnáisiúnú. Is Ollamh le Néareolaíocht Neamhord Gluaiseachta agus Néareolaí Comhairleach Oinigh d’Iontaobhas NHS Ospidéil Newcastle upon Tyne é David chomh maith.    Tá an tOllamh Burn ina Stiúrthóir ar Chomhpháirtíocht Taighde Sláinte Newcastle, arb Ionad Acadúil Eolaíochta Sláinte í, a bhíonn ag obair chun sláinte agus folláine breis is trí mhilliún duine atá ina gcónaí in Oirthuaisceart Shasana agus i dTuaisceart Cumbria a fheabhsú. Is é an tOllamh Burn an tUachtarán tofa ar an gCumann Idirnáisiúnta Parkinson agus Neamhord Gluaiseachta chomh maith. Tosóidh David ina phost nua mar Uachtarán ar an 8 Meán Fómhair 2025, arb é an chéad lá den téarma nua é, agus na mílte mac léinn ag filleadh ar an Ollscoil don bhliain acadúil nua. Ag labhairt di faoin gceapachán, bhí an méid seo le rá ag an Dr Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Cathaoirleach Údarás na hOllscoile: “Tar éis próiseas measúnaithe a bhí dian agus iomaíoch, tá áthas orm a fhógairt go bhfuil an tOllamh David Burn ceaptha ina chéad Uachtarán eile ar Ollscoil na Gaillimhe. Tá neart taithí ag an Ollamh Burn i gceannaireacht Ollscoile agus cúraim sláinte agus tá fís láidir curtha i láthair aige chun foireann agus mic léinn Ollscoil na Gaillimhe a spreagadh le go rachaidh an Ollscoil ar leith seo ó neart go neart. Tá dea-theist ar an Ollamh Burn go hidirnáisiúnta ó thaobh ceannaireachta agus a bhfuil bainte amach aige, agus tá an taithí agus an fhís aige atá riachtanach le tabhairt faoin ról seo. Tá mé ag súil le bheith ag obair leis agus muid ag cur tús le caibidil nua in aistear na hOllscoile. “Ba mhaith liom fíorbhuíochas a chur in iúl d’Uachtarán Eatramhach na hOllscoile, an tOllamh Peter McHugh, as an gceannaireacht stuama atá léirithe aige le bliain anuas, agus guím gach rath air amach anseo.” Ag labhairt dó faoina cheapachán, bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag an Ollamh David J. Burn: “Tá an-áthas orm, agus is mór an onóir dom a bheith ceaptha mar an chéad Uachtarán eile ar Ollscoil na Gaillimhe.  Bíodh is gur rugadh agus gur tógadh in Oirthuaisceart Shasana mé, tá nasc láidir pearsanta agam le hÉirinn le breis agus 35 bliain agus tá seantaithí agam ar a hoidhreacht shaibhir agus a cultúr bríomhar.  Tá mé ag súil le bheith ag obair as lámha a chéile le comhaltaí foirne agus le mic léinn chun lánacmhainneacht Ollscoil na Gaillimhe a bhaint amach, agus tá mé ar bís faoinar féidir linn a bhaint amach le chéile.” Críoch Ceisteanna ó na meáin chuig pressoffice@universityofgalway.ie