The National Metrology Laboratory (NML) is the national metrology institute for Ireland and is responsible for the maintenance and development of the national standards for physical units and their dissemination to Irish users. It has a staff of about 30 persons and is located in a purpose-built laboratory on the Enterprise Ireland (EI) campus in Glasnevin. NML is a department within EI.

The measurement standards maintained by NML are the most accurate representations of the SI units available in Ireland and provide the gateway by which measurement results can be traced to the International System of Units (SI). In practice, access to the national standards is provided by NML's calibration services which are regularly upgraded and extended to take account of developments in measurement technology and to meet the changing demands of NML's customers. Characterised reference standards, experienced staff and a carefully controlled environment ensure that low measurement uncertainties, suitable for calibrating the highest quality measuring instruments, are achieved.

On the international scene, NML is a signatory of the CIPM Multi-lateral Arrangement (MRA) between national metrology institutes. Further details of the MRA may be found at the Bureau International des Poids et Measures website. This ensures that NML's measurement results and calibration certificates have wide international acceptance. NML is also a member of EUROMET. EUROMET is a cooperative voluntary organisation between the national metrology institutes in the EU, including the European Commission, EFTA and EU Accession States. The objective of EUROMET is to promote the coordination of metrological activities and services with the purpose of achieving higher efficiency.

NML is also active in the provision of training services and has developed a series of foundation and intermediate level one-day intensive training courses on measurement and calibration (CT001 to CT008). View our 2006 training programme here.