Minister O’Sullivan to Launch Partnership Between Irish Research Council and The Wheel

The Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan TD

DUBLIN, IRELAND: The Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan TD, will launch a new partnership between the Irish Research Council (IRC) and The Wheeltomorrow, Thursday, 12th March, at 8.15am at the Clock Tower, Department of Education and Skills, Marlborough Street, Dublin 1. The partnership is aimed at engaging community and voluntary organisations in academic research.

At the launch, the IRC will outline full details of its partnership with The Wheel, and will announce funding awards to 41 research projects involving collaboration with community and voluntary groups. Researchers receiving awards – and representatives from the community and voluntary groups collaborating with them – will be in attendance.

Projects receiving funding under the initiative will focus on issues such as mental health, social housing and homelessness, direct provision, homophobic and transphobic bullying, healthy ageing and children’s rights.

Commenting in advance of the launch, Dr. Eucharia Meehan, Director of the IRC, said: “The Government is currently developing a new national strategy for research, so this launch is very timely. Our partnership with The Wheel demonstrates the potential that exists for research to benefit civic society, and for researchers to proactively work with grassroots community groups. By facilitating collaboration between these different sectors, we believe there will be major benefits for Irish society and, in particular, for marginalised groups.”

In addition to Minister O’Sullivan and Dr. Meehan, Deirdre Garvey, Chief Executive Officer of The Wheel, will also attend tomorrow’s launch.

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