Pictured is Ireland's Conference Ambassador of the Year Brian Stapleton, MD of Periploi Aviation,  overall winner at the Failte Ireland Conference Ambassador Recognition Awards for his significant contribution to Ireland's business tourism sector.  Brian has been instrumental in delivering a total of seven International Air Transport Association (IATA) conferences to Dublin valued at €5.6million to Irish economy, with another five future conferences in the pipeline with an estimated value of €5.4million.   Failte Ireland honoured 79 'Conference Ambassadors' at its inaugural Conference Ambassador Recognition Awards ceremony at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham.  The recipients, from a variety of professional and academic backgrounds, were given the awards for bidding and hosting an international conference or event in Dublin. Hosted by comedian Dara O Briain, the event acknowledged that the Ambassadors, nominated by the Irish conference and meetings industry, had delivered a collective total of almost 73,000 international delegates to Dublin between 2011 and 2014, injecting over €101million into the economy.

Shay Walsh, Managing Director BT Ireland and Minister for Education and Skills Jan O'Sullivan TD present the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition 2016 overall prize to Maria Louise Fufezan (16) and Diana Bura (15) from Loreto Secondary School Balbriggan for their project entitled 'An Investigation into the Effects of Enzymes used in Animal Feed Additives on the Lifespan of Caenorhabditis Elegans'.  Maria and Diana were in the group intermediate section of the biological & ecological sciences category and were presented with a cheque for Eur5,000, the opportunity to represent Ireland at the 28th European Union Young Scientist competition in Brussels later this year and the BTYSTE perpetual trophy.  Almost 1,200 students from across the island of Ireland covering 550 projects from 29 counties competed in the RDS for the coveted title of 'BT Young Scientist(s) & Technologist(s) of the Year'.