99 new jobs are set to be created upon the opening of a new science research centre worth 58 million.

The highly-skilled science roles will work on developing new materials and medical devices including novel silicon and magnetic memory devices for mobile phones, and medical implant coatings like hip implants.

The Advanced Materials and Bio-Engineering Research Centre (AMBER) is being funded by Science Foundation Ireland together with 18 industry partners.

Speaking at the launch, Jobs Minister Richard Bruton said: "Almost 50% of IDA jobs wins are connected to SFI research projects - that’s almost 6000 jobs per year over recent years.

"If we are to achieve the level of job-creation we need, we must ensure that our science and research spending is properly targeted at employment opportunities. We are making a series of changes to achieve this, including the new SFI centres programme which will focus our spending in this area on 7 large-scale research centres which can attract industry funding and compete with the best in the world.

"The establishment of AMBER is a key part of this plan. Nanoscience and materials science are areas where we rank well inside the top ten internationally for research."

Minister for Research and Innovation Seán Sherlock said that nanoscience accounts for €15 billion or 10% of all Irish exports and 250,000 jobs.

He noted that: "As a national centre, AMBER will play a key role in growing and retaining existing companies, providing world-leading research, increasing the level of foreign direct investment and enabling job creation in Ireland."

The AMBER Research Centre is being led by Trinity College Dublin in collaboration with University College Cork and the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland.

Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton says it's a cutting edge research centre: