Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland visits ESO Vitacura office

Today, Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) and Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, visited the ESO office in Vitacura, Santiago, Chile. Minister Varakdar is responsible for Ireland’s membership of ESO and took the opportunity to tour the Vitacura offices as part of a visit to participate in the inauguration events for Chilean President–Elect, Gabriel Boric. 

During his visit, the Tánaiste met with ESO’s Director General Xavier Barcons, as well as Luis Chavarría, ESO Representative in Chile, Gautier Mathys, Science Advisor to the ESO Representative, and Bárbara Nuñez, ESO’s Regional Relations Officer. He was accompanied by six other officials from Ireland including Paul Gleeson, the first ambassador of Ireland resident in Chile. 

Ireland formalised its ESO membership in 2018, cementing the country’s long-standing position at the forefront of the world’s astronomy community. The country has a rich heritage in astronomy at Dunsink, Armagh and Birr, hosting the world’s largest telescope in the 19th century (Lord Rosse’s Leviathan Telescope) and, more recently, by joining the largest low frequency radio telescope in the world (LOFAR). ESO and Ireland have had a fruitful collaboration, with Irish scientists leading important discoveries based on data taken with ESO telescopes.

Courtesy of European Southern Observatory