THERE ARE FEWER things that Irish people love talking about more than the weather, so it is no surprise that Ireland will formally bid to get the European centre for weather forecasting relocated from the UK to Dublin.

As a result of Brexit, EU-funded activities of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) will have to move from its current location in Reading to a European Member State.

Cabinet today agreed the government’s submission to have the centre located to Ireland.

If successful, the centre would be in a new facility in Cherrywood, Dublin.

The relocation would result in 250 jobs. 

The deadline for submissions is the 1 October, with the winner due to be announced in December 2020.

Ireland is up against nine other Member States that are also participating in the competition.

The centre is both a research institute and a 24/7 operational service, producing weather predictions for European countries.

It also specialises in global weather forecasting about 2 weeks ahead of time, as well as producing longer-range forecasts for up to a year ahead, with varying degrees of detail, according to its website.

The centre has one of the largest supercomputer facilities and meteorological data archives in the world. It also uses an advanced computer modelling technique to analyse observations and predict future weather.

It is an independent intergovernmental organisation supported by 34 Member States.

Government sources are hopeful that Ireland will be successful in the competition, stating that it would align with the Irish Government’s Global Ireland strategy to increase the country’s “pull factor” for the creation of new green economy jobs.