Boost for Marine Institute as Prince Albert retraces Grace’s Galway steps

Date Published: 06-Apr-2011

Prince Albert II of Monaco signed an historic agreement to promote links between the marine institutes in Monaco and Oranmore during his visit to Galway yesterday (Thursday) on the final day of his State visit.

The memorandum of understanding was drawn up by the Marine Institute and the Oceanographic Institute in Monaco to foster an interchange of ideas in marine education, environmental protection, renewable ocean energy, and the ecosystem approach to fisheries management.

The memorandum was signed in the presence of Prince Albert, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney, Marine Institute CEO Dr Peter Heffernan and the CEO of the Oceanographique Institute Robert Calagno.

Afterwards the party took a tour around the research laboratories for 90 minutes and the Prince spoke to many of the 100 staff who had gathered for the visit.

Prince Albert said the agreement would benefit future scientific research for both countries and he welcomed the opportunity to visit the institute in Oranmore, which was still relatively young.

The internationally recognised Institut Océanographique last year celebrated its 100th birthday.

“If we can provide a little support for various programmes…and exchange date we are thrilled to do so,” he remarked to reporters outside the impressive national headquarters in Renville.

Minister Coveney said the visit supported the development of shared links in a range of activities on the marine in both Ireland and Monaco. As honourary chairman of the Institut Oceanographique and grandson of its founder, Prince Albert obviously shares the family passion for the sea.

“We look forward to a fruitful collaboration between our two organisations in raising awareness of the very real issues that face us in the years ahead," he stated.

See full story and photographs in this week’s Connacht Tribune.