From Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
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Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Patrick O’Donovan TD has today confirmed the appointment of an Expert Panel to review the High Performance Computing (HPC) service requirements for the research and innovation community in Ireland.
This strategic review will assess demand for a national HPC service for researchers in the higher education and enterprise sectors. The Expert Panel will make recommendations on the optimum service model to meet this demand. It will also address the associated related governance and funding models.
The Minister has appointed Derek Moran (former Secretary General Department of Finance), Gary Masterson, (Head of Infrastructure, Office of Government Chief Information Officer) and Professor Sarah Jane Delany (TU Dublin) to the expert panel. It will be chaired by Dr. Deirdre Lillis (Assistant Secretary – Research and Innovation) and supported by Departmental officials.
Speaking today, Minister O’Donovan said:
“Internationally High Performance Computing has reached an inflection point and some investment options are now of a magnitude not foreseen at the outset of the provision of the existing services to the research and innovation community in Ireland.
“This has triggered the need for an independent strategic review to determine the most appropriate path forward.”
The Minster added:
“This is an opportunity to reflect on the needs of our research communities and put in place a sustainable solution in a rapidly developing technological landscape. I look forward to the recommendations of the Expert Panel and their engagement with the research community.”
Since 2005 the Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC) has made high-performance computing (HPC) resources available to all researchers based in Irish third-level institutions. Their services are also available to researchers in industry and the public sector.
ICHEC’s most recent high-performance computer, Kay, reached its effective end of life in November 2023. In anticipation of this and in order to maintain the existing level of HPC provision to the academic and enterprise community, an interim service was deployed to maintain the provision of a public HPC service, pending a strategic review of HPC provision in Ireland.
Since then, an interim service has been in operation using an EU computer, MeluXina which is part of the EU’s network of supercomputers until a long-term sustainable model of HPC provision to the research and innovation community in Ireland can be determined.
A report is expected from the expert panel at the end of 2024.