Boyle Walton Science Museum, Waterford, Ireland

We believe that Waterford should receive funding for a national science museum/centre. Perhaps something of a similar nature to the science museum in London, but on a scale that would be more appropriate to Ireland. We would suggest Waterford as the place to host such as centre to honour two of the greatest men the world has ever known in the field of science! These two men are world renowned scientists that deserve the highest honour any country can bestow upon them. They are none other than Robert Boyle, known internationally as The Father of Chemistry and ETS Walton, the first man to split the atom and the only Irishman to ever win the Nobel Prize for Science. These two men are absolute giants of science and should be remembered and honoured in a special way by our country and most certainly by the county they hail from, Waterford, Ireland.

We believe wholeheartedly that Waterford should be the place for such a centre as perhaps it would send out the message that Waterford, along with the Waterford IT, is a friend to science. It would deliver a fantastic PR message to Irish people and potential international investors. It would also generate interest in science amongst the kids and adults of the region, and nationally and it would become a centre for school tours and family excursions, drawing tourism from all over the country and beyond.

The current push of a knowledge-based economy and the recent increase in foreign student numbers, attracted by Ireland's and indeed Waterford's highly regarded reputation in the education sector, has highlighted just how respected Ireland is in terms of scientific achievements. In line with other countries a monument to the forefathers of this knowledge economy is surely warranted. The Southeast region, driven by WIT has achieved great success in the last 5 years: Most recently the set-up of a national research centre for IPv6, pushing the boundaries of communications into the next generation of the internet. The establishment of a centre where past, present and future scientific agendas can be presented in line with guest lectures would be the crowning glory to all that has been achieved and would surely inspire the next generation of Irish scientists. We implore you to do what you can to impel these thoughts to help us and others to follow up on a way to honour our scientific past, these magnificent men, and our prominent scientific future in an appropriate manner such as this.

I truly hope that you will consider this petition,