Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
IRELAND’S LONG-AWAITED application to join the European Organisation of Nuclear Research (CERN) has been “accepted in principle”, meaning that Ireland is on the path to membership.
Minister for Science James Lawless visited the CERN site on the Franco-Swiss border today with a delegation of government officials and Irish academics from over 20 Universities and research institutions.
CERN, the world’s largest centres for scientific research, is located near Geneva. Its main focus is the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), a 27km underground ring that collides protons at close to the speed of light.
When Ireland becomes an associate member, Irish researchers will gain access to CERN’s scientific programmes, while Irish citizens can apply for staff positions and fellowships. Irish businesses will also be able to compete in CERN’s procurement contracts.
Associate membership will cost around €1.9 million annually for an initial five-year term, Lawless has said.
He added during a meeting with CERN officials this morning that he had brought a “memo” to cabinet updating the government on the progress of the Irish application.
Subject to funding requirements and Dáil approval, it is expected that the accession process will be completed in 2026.
Lawless added that a motion on Ireland’s CERN application will be brought forward soon, which he claimed would pass “almost unanimously” with “very high cross-party support”.
Speaking to The Journal in Geneva, Lawless explained that CERN membership is something that the science community in Ireland “has long aspired to achieve”.
Lawless was shown a number of the ongoing projects across a number of CERN campuses today, including the Large Hadron Collider.
He said that he had long-supported the initiative, having advocated for the application while serving as spokesperson for science with Fianna Fáil in opposition in 2018.
“The application means that Ireland will finally take its seat at the table with most other European countries, and we can benefit greatly from CERN,” Lawless said.
CERN accepted Lawless’ Irish application “in principle” this morning, he said, meaning that the science organisation and Ireland have a general agreement about the application but the details are still to be worked out.
“Once it’s approved by the Irish government and CERN, we’ll sign the dotted line and become an associate member of the organisation,” Lawless said.
CERN Director for International Relations Charlotte Warakaulle told Lawless during a meeting this morning that the organisation was “impressed” with the levels of interest from Ireland.
“Joining as an associate member is a small detail, because the relationhip between Ireland and CERN has always been strong,” Warakaulle said.
“Irish industry already has quite an important footprint, even without being an associate member. So there’s really potential for the future,” she added.
“I know there’s much excitement, but whenever Ireland has been discussed as an associate member, it’s clear that member states are very much looking forward to Ireland joining – it feels like a piece of the puzzle has been missing.”
Science Minister James Lawless is in CERN, where he says Ireland is "excited for the opportunity" to consider becoming a member and investing further in international science and research @thejournal_ie pic.twitter.com/7yijCPeNxd
— Andrew Walsh (@AndyBreathnach) February 19, 2025
She added that member states are “really excited” to see Ireland join and “be part of the family”.
Associate membership will allow Ireland’s researchers to participate in CERN’s scientific programmes and will make Irish citizens eligible for staff positions and fellowships at CERN.
Currently, there are 24 full member states and 10 associate member states involved with CERN.
Ronan McNulty, a professor of physics at UCD and a member of CERN Ireland Users’ Group, said there were “three main perks” to Ireland’s membership.
McNulty said that jobs and student opportunities, financial gain for Irish industries and “knowledge transfer” made Ireland’s CERN application worthwhile.
“For Irish people or companies working with CERN, it’s taking that knowledge and bringing it back to Ireland – that’s the big key thing,” he said.
Any chance of luring all Taliban into one place and nuking them.
They’re defending there country would you liked to have put all the IRA men fighting in the troubles in the 70s in one place and nuke them.
@shane. If by ‘defending their country’ you in fact mean ‘ want to set up a neo caliphate and believe its their right to kill non believers’ then youre right. Otherwise no. ( wonder what they’ll do to beliebers?)
I know what you mean,but you can’t say that they don’t have a right to defend there land,alot of times is a farmer shooting at them because he’s pissed off at them for attracting attention of the taliban by trampling through his fields.not all muslims are extremist
@ Shane. Wow what an amazing like for like analogy!! Last time I checked, northern Irish paramilitaries were not burning down schools, refusing to allow women to be educated after the age of eight, forcing child marriage, or banning women from general hospitals.
Catholics were burnt out of there homes they could not get jobs and were basically excluded from politics.is that the reason the UN is there then,why arnt they in all the other Muslim countrys that this happens in.If say for instance Scotland invaded Ireland in the morning through no fault of your own would you just try and make the most of you and your family’s life or would you try do something about it.
The Taliban are not representative of the Pashtun people or the other diverse peoples of Afghanistan. Read up on your Afghan history.
So you think that there glad to have the UN there after all they can grow opium again after the taliban had banned it.Does anybody want foreign soldiers in there country I doubt it somehow
Yes actually I would Shane, they’re all scvm
Also learn the difference between there, their and they’re. What age are you? You clearly haven’t a clue about what’s going on. It’s NATO who are in charge of operations in Afghanistan, not the UN
I was replying to your nuke them all question
Shane – defending their country my hole. A bunch of nuts hiding behind a ‘religion of peace’ the majority of whom Re not even from Afghanistan. A bunch of thugs who terrorised a local populace.
The UN are there at the request of the Government of Afghanistan to assist it and the people of Afghanistan in laying the foundations for sustainable peace and development. As for your opium comment, Between 1996 and 1999 Mullah Omar reversed his opinions on the drug trade, apparently as it only harmed kafirs. The Taliban controlled 96% of Afghanistan’s poppy fields and made opium its largest source of taxation. Taxes on opium exports became one of the mainstays of Taliban income and their war economy.
Any more ‘facts’ Shane, or will you admit that your analogy is based on assumptions and poor research?
No mate I come here for questions and answers I can admit when I’m wrong.I thought the Americans went in after bin laden that they weren’t invited wasn’t the taliban in government they were fighting the northern alliance.
Germany rules large tracts of western European the early 40′s yet, would you agree that they were the rightful rulers?
Read what they (Taliban) did in Mazar-i-Sharif. Is this behaviour that is acceptable when assuming power?
I’m not saying I support the taliban any group that wants sharia law should not be aloud near politics at all.my point is that you can’t blame people who want to defend there land from invaders the farmers hate when troops come into there area becauae it attracts the taliban in for a fight,they just want to be left alone from both sides
Where are the bleeding hearts now…… Guess we have a good idea what the outcome of this will be…….
have your say