Irish Times reporter Dick Ahlstrom has been named National Science and Technology Journalist of the Year.

Dick, who is the paper's science editor, received the accolade at the third annual awards ceremony sponsored by IBM and the Forfás Science, Technology and Innovation programme.

In its citation the judging panel, chaired by broadcaster Pat Kenny, said it made its award in recognition of his work over many years which had demonstrated both his talent as a journalist and commitment to his subject.

It said: "No journalist in Ireland has done more to get science and technology taken seriously in the media.

"By the same token, no journalist has done more to make science and technology accessible to the general public."

As part of his entry he submitted articles on the potential healing powers of frogs and the links between cave stalagmites and climate change.

The Minister for Science, Technology and Commerce, Noel Treacy, said: "Very few of us are equipped to read and understand the detailed and complex descriptions and debates that go on in the world of the sciences.

"We rely heavily on journalism to make it meaningful, accessible and interesting."

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