“Our strong commitment to research means a steady pipeline of solutions for a more resilient, climate-smart Irish agriculture,” Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon said at the opening of Teagasc’s research laboratories at Johnstown Castle in Wexford on Friday.

“It means we have ways to reduce methane emissions from livestock through genetics, nutrition and management, while also improving soil health, reducing nitrate loss and protecting our rivers and lakes.”

The National Agricultural Scientific Research and Innovation Centre (NASRIC) cost €12.7m, “the biggest investment we have made,” according to Teagasc director Frank O’Mara.

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“We have some of the best scientists in the universe, and it’s appropriate we have the best equipment for them,” Teagasc chair Liam Herlihy said in his welcoming address, highlighting that the project came in on-budget and on-schedule.

Over 140 staff and post-graduate students will be engaged in the facility, which contains 44 separate lab spaces between more than 2,000 square metres of a new build and a further 500 square metres of refurbished existing buildings.

“We know we that have big environmental challenges, around greenhouse gas emissions, around water quality, around biodiversity,” O’Mara added.

“Tackling those is really important for the reputation of Irish food. This facility is going to be at the centre of how we address those challenges,” he said.

He referenced that the new labs will analyse “tens of thousands of water samples, generated by the Agricultural Catchments Programme”.

“A lot of our research is still very much about understanding soil functions, which underpins all of our research,” said Dr Karen Daly, adding that “this work builds on decades and generations of soil research”.

“Curiosity is our game,” added Teagasc’s David Wall. “We need a lab to keep pace with an expanding research portfolio, we need to apply cutting edge research, analysis and methods.”