The Cavanagh Pharmacy Building at University College Cork (UCC) -
opened today (6th March 2006) by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade
& Employment, Micheál Martin - is a very significant milestone in
the university's continuing development. UCC is currently 'Irish
University of the Year' and received this award, in part, because of
the university's record in both research and infrastructure
development. With the addition of The Cavanagh Pharmacy Building to its
other facilities the position of UCC's College of Medicine and Health
(incorporating pharmacy, medicine, nursing and midwifery, dentistry,
and clinical therapies) at the forefront of Irish healthcare education
and research is further enhanced.
Built at a cost of €22.3m, The Cavanagh Pharmacy Building comprises
some 5,600m2 of teaching and research laboratories, lecture theatres
and seminar rooms and support space. It is home to both the
undergraduate and postgraduate facilities of UCC's new School of
Pharmacy, as well as to the university's Analytical and Biological
Chemistry Research Facility (ABCRF), and also houses a dedicated
industry suite to facilitate collaboration between UCC and the
pharmaceutical industry. The Cavanagh Pharmacy Building is located
adjacent to the university's BioSciences Institute and the BioTransfer
Unit to facilitate leading edge university-industry research
collaborations.
"The Cavanagh Pharmacy Building, by housing both the School of Pharmacy
and the ABCRF, demonstrates UCC's commitment to the belief that
research and teaching should be integrated, as they enhance each
other," said Professor Anita Maguire, Professor of Pharmaceutical
Chemistry, and Director of the ABCRF. The ABCRF consists of
inter-disciplinary research teams from Chemistry and Biochemistry.
Their research activities have a natural synergy with the research work
of the School of Pharmacy. This synergy will encourage innovative
collaborations, both nationally and globally, with partners in the
pharmaceutical industry. Furthermore, as the building will house the
ABCRF researchers, predominantly members of the College of Science,
Engineering and Food Science, and the School of Pharmacy within the
College of Medicine and Health, the building will form a key
collaborative research bridge between the two newly established
Colleges.
During the opening ceremony the importance of this new facility was
acknowledged by Minister Martin who stated, "The Cavanagh Pharmacy
Building represents a significant advance by UCC that clearly supports
the Government's policy to promote university-industry partnerships in
pursuit of our national goal to build a globally competitive
knowledge-based economy".
UCC's School of Pharmacy was established in 2003. This followed an
internationally peer-reviewed competition that saw UCC being selected
by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and the Department of Education
to establish a new School of Pharmacy in Ireland. Pharmacy is now one
of the university's fastest growing disciplines with the School
providing undergraduate and postgraduate courses in mainstream and
specialist areas of pharmacy.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, UCC President, Professor Gerard
Wrixon said "UCC has embarked on the creation of one of the largest
Colleges of Medicine and Health in the country, with the most diverse
portfolio of degree programmes, and which aims to deliver new standards
of excellence. In the past five years we have added professional degree
courses in Nursing, Pharmacy, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy and
Public Health. Student numbers in the College of Medicine and Health,
which were in the hundreds in the mid 1990s, will soon be up to three
thousand."
President Wrixon also paid tribute to the Government stating,
"The establishment of the School of Pharmacy demonstrates the
Government's commitment to tackling the serious shortage of pharmacists
being experienced in our hospitals, in community pharmacies and in the
pharmaceutical industry. The concentration of pharmaceutical companies
in the Munster region gives confidence that the career opportunities
for UCC's pharmacy graduates are many and bright. The Cavanagh Pharmacy
Building will deliver benefits for Ireland, for the pharmaceutical
industry, for pharmacy researchers, and for future generations of
students."
The Cavanagh Pharmacy Building is named in honour of Dr Tom and Mrs
Marie Cavanagh. Dr Cavanagh, a commerce graduate of UCC, is
Vice-Chairman of the university's Governing Body and a director of the
Cork University Foundation. President Gerard Wrixon said, "The Cavanagh
Pharmacy Building is so named in appreciation of Dr Tom and Mrs Marie
Cavanagh who have served this university tirelessly and with great
distinction. Dr Cavanagh has been a valued member of the Governing Body
for many years during which time he has served on many important
committees and been Chairman of the Finance Committee. The university
is delighted to have the opportunity to name this magnificent facility
in recognition of their many years of dedicated service."
The Atlantic Philanthropies role in the development of the School of
Pharmacy President was highlighted by President Wrixon who said, "The
Atlantic Philanthropies deserve great credit from all involved in, and
benefiting from, Irish higher education. They have been the principal
non-governmental supporter of the highly beneficial Programme for
Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI). Through their very
generous support they have made a key contribution to the growth and
development of university education in Ireland thereby benefiting
current and future generations. The Atlantic Philanthropies support has
been a catalyst in the enormous progress witnessed in Ireland's
university sector which, assisted by this support, is achieving
international renown. UCC has benefited considerably through the PRTLI
programme. This Atlantic Philanthropies and Government initiative,
which, provides support for research and infrastructural development,
has enabled UCC to build world-class facilities such as the BioSciences
Institute and the National Nanofabrication Facility in the Tyndall
National Institute. As a result of the development of such facilities
UCC has been able to deliver world-class research and to enhance the
university's international reputation. The €30 million investment in
the new Postgraduate Library is another key project for UCC that is
also being delivered as a result of the PRTLI initiative. The Atlantic
Philanthropies support has created a lasting legacy that will enhance
the university experience for future generations of UCC students."
"The Government is also to be congratulated for its far-sighted
decision to establish the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) programme
which is transforming the potential of Irish Universities," said
President Wrixon. In welcoming the recent announcement by Minister
Martin of a 22% increase in SFI funding President Wrixon also took the
opportunity to acknowledge the support of the Minister over many years
saying, "Micheál Martin's support, particularly in relation to UCC's
development of its College of Medicine and Health is of great value to
the university, to Cork, and indeed to Ireland."
Concluding the opening ceremony UCC President Gerard Wrixon stated,
"The Cavanagh Pharmacy Building represents a major advance for UCC and
all who are, and who will be, associated with UCC owe a large debt of
thanks to those who made this possible. In particular our thanks
therefore go to the Minister and the Government, to The Atlantic
Philanthropies, and in particular to Tom and Marie Cavanagh and their
family."
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