THE International Fund for Ireland has hailed a grant it made 12 years ago to the Northern Ireland Science Park as one of its "most important investments". The body gave £2 million in 2002 to help establish the Innovation Centre at the park in Belfast's Titanic Quarter.
There was a 12-year reporting restriction on the grant for the centre, which also received £25m from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
Fund chairman Dr Adrian Johnston said: "The success of the Innovation Centre and the Northern Ireland Science Park is a part of our legacy that we are very proud of. "The fund saw the grant as an investment that would support economic and social advance. "While we recognised its early potential, but could only hope that it would go on to become such a powerful catalyst for new opportunities in Belfast and across Northern Ireland. "In terms of the return made, it is one of the most important investments the fund has made.
Science Park chief executive Dr Norman Apsley added: "As an economic driver, our impact on business - whether this is indigenous companies or foreign direct investment - and academia, including the education sector and university research, alike, has been universally lauded. "This would have been impossible without the backing, support and finance from the International Fund for Ireland."