A €30 million Precision Agriculture Centre of Excellence (PACE) for Kilkenny has been unveiled.
TSSG have revealed plans this morning for the hub which will roll out at its existing base in St Kieran’s College immediately.
The idea is to provide direct access to Irelands agri-tech companies to the best in technology, research and funding.
EU Commissioner Phil Hogan made the announcement in Lyrath earlier and says its a big deal:
“It’s not just an all-Ireland win for Kilkenny, it’s a European win. It’s going to mean a significant focus on the type of Centre of Excellence for research and innovation that we’re promoting all over Europe.
“It’s good to see a fledgling project here in St Kieran’s College in Kilkenny being the focal point for this particular fund.”
Kilkenny County Council also helped to bring the investment to Kilkenny, and Council CEO Colette Byrne says they will continue to have an involvement.
She’s told KCLR News the centre will then be moving to the new Abbey Quarter:
“That’s the plan. I suppose people in Kilkenny would be well aware of the plans for the former brewery site.
“We hope to be signing a contract to commence work on the Brew House in the next couple of weeks, and that work will take probably a year to 18 months before the building is ready to be occupied.
“At that stage then hopefully PACE and others will move into the building.”
