Farewell to Outgoing Director
Issued 10th May 2002
Dr Liam Downey, Director of Teagasc retires this weekend (Friday, 10th May 2002) after eight years at the helm of the national agriculture and food development authority.
A native of Cork, Dr Downey has the distinction of being Director General of four national organisations. He was Director of An Foras Forbartha, the national institute for physical planning and construction research, from 1979 to 1982 and served as Director of ACOT, the national agricultural advisory and research body, from 1983 to 1988.
He was appointed Director of ERAD, the bovine disease eradication board in 1988 and in 1994 took up his current position as Director of Teagasc, with responsibility for managing research, advisory and training services for the agriculture and food industry.
A graduate in bio-chemistry from University College, Cork, Dr Downey spent the first 10 years of his professional career in research on milk and dairy products. Having been awarded a PhD by Reading University, England he joined the food research team at Moorepark, Co Cork, which is now an integral part of the Teagasc research network.
In recognition of the international contribution of his research, Dr Downey was awarded a Doctor of Science by the National University of Ireland, an honour which is bestowed on a relatively small number of scientists.
Over the past eight years, Dr Downey has led a number of major new developments in Teagasc's research, advisory and training services.
There has been major new investment in facilities and new staff in food research. Teagasc's two food research centres, in Cork and Dublin, are now regarded as among the best internationally.
The agricultural research programme has been firmly focused on competitive production systems and environmental sustainability. A new agriculture and food economic and policy analysis unit has been established which has substantially enhanced the ability to assess the impact of policy changes at EU and world level on the agriculture and food industry and rural areas.
The Teagasc advisory service was also restructured during Dr Downey's period of leadership. New advisory services aimed at the needs of commercial farmers and those under threat of viability are now in place.
Training for young entrants to agriculture, horticulture and agri-industry have also been transformed. Since last year, all Teagasc courses are nationally certified with a number of third level courses being provided jointly by Teagasc colleges and institutes of technology. These changes have brought agricultural training into the mainstream education system for the first time.
Prior to his retirement, Dr Downey was appointed Adjunct Professor in the UCD Faculty of Agriculture and Food Science. In April 2000, he was conferred with a Doctor of Laws by the National University of Ireland, in recognition of his contribution to science, nationally and internationally.
He will be succeeded as Director of Teagasc by Jim Flanagan, Chief Inspector in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.
