McSweeney honoured for EU work

IRISHMAN Dr Barry McSweeney who heads up Europe’s major research centre has been honoured for his work in opening up the institution to the new EU countries.

He has been awarded the Grand Gold Medal of Comenius University, one of the highest awards given by Slovakia’s most prestigious university.

Other recipients have been the Pope, Juan Carlos King of Spain, Princess Sayako of Japan, Irish President Mary McAleese and financier and author George Soros.

As Director General of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) he made enlargement a key policy and developed a system of short-term stays for scientists from enlargement countries.

Over 1,100 scientists from the new member states took advantage of them last year.

He worked in three of the accession countries during his 30 year career in science and he said he was convinced of the potential of individual scientists in these countries.

“I am committed to positive and equal treatment of these countries, rather than passively providing training. I am absolutely committed to the JRC activities working together with accession countries in the area of life sciences.”

A recognised world expert in the area of bio-technology, Dr McSweeney has been director general of JRC for almost three years.