Ireland becomes associate member state of CERN

Ireland has officially become an associate member state of CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, which is the world’s largest machine builder, following confirmation that it has taken all the necessary steps to ratify the associate membership agreement and accede to the protocol on CERN’s privileges and immunities.

The ratification of the agreement, which was signed in May 2025 by CERN Director-General Fabiola Gianotti and James Lawless, Ireland’s Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, marks the beginning of a new chapter in CERN’s relations with Ireland and opens up new opportunities.

CERN’s collaboration with institutes from Ireland has a long history, dating back to the 1960s, when Ireland participated in bubble-chamber experiments at CERN. Since then, the country’s scientific community at CERN has made important contributions across a wide range of fields, including experimental physics, theory, medical applications and computer science.

Major CERN experiments and facilities, such as ATLAS, CMS, LHCb and ISOLDE, have all benefited from Ireland’s involvement, and associate membership will ensure that the country’s contributions can continue and expand in the years to come.

Irish representatives will now participate in meetings of the CERN Council and its committees, including the Finance Committee and the Scientific Policy Committee. Nationals of Ireland are eligible to apply for limited-duration staff positions and to CERN’s graduate programs, and Irish firms can bid for CERN contracts, increasing opportunities for industrial collaboration on advanced technologies.

CERN is located on the French-Swiss border, with its headquarters in Geneva. Its member states are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Cyprus is an associate member state in the pre-stage to membership. Brazil, Croatia, India, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Pakistan, Türkiye and Ukraine are associate member states. Japan and the United States currently have observer status, as do the European Union and UNESCO. The observer status of Russia’s Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) is suspended.