Minister Pat Rabbitte at the Cavan Crystal Hotel, Co. Cavan. The launch was attended by over seventy delegates, including representatives from local authorities, government departments, the agricultural sector, universities, community groups, and the private sector.

Minister Rabbitte complemented the project's success to date: "It is a credit to the hard work of the partners, from the Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, Geological Survey of Ireland in my own Department, Dundalk Institute of Technology and Queen's University Belfast...This cross-border investment will greatly aid the study of the natural environment and resources of the twelve northern counties of this island, and will be of great benefit to the local communities and policy makers for decades to come."

Minister Rabbitte also highlighted some of the tangible benefits of this project "from [enhancing understanding of] soil agricultural properties, to mineral resources, to public health. All of these seemingly unrelated sectors are joined together by the common theme of earth science."

Also, speaking at the launch was, Noel Cornick, Head of the Tourism, Telecoms and GSNI Policy Division. Mr Cornick expressed the delight of his Department (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment of Northern Ireland) to be continually involved in the Tellus Border project and that the "Tellus Border [project] builds on the success of the original Tellus Project". Mr Cornick placed emphasis on the "highly qualified partnership that exists between the project partners, the Geological Survey of Ireland, Queens University Belfast and Dundalk Institute of Technology... [and that his] Department looks forward to working with its project partners on the challenges ahead."

Welcoming the launch of the Surveys, Pat Colgan, Chief Executive of the SEUPB, said: “This is a very worthwhile project and one that I’m glad the SEUPB has been able to support in line with the objectives of the INTERREG IVA Programme. The surveys now being launched have the potential to inform future planning in the use and management of natural resources on a cross-border basis. Co-operation in the management of joint resources with a view to promote a more sustainable economic development and minimising its impact on the environment is one of the priorities that the INTERREG cross-border programme seeks to support. The Tellus Border project, is building on the achievements of another previously funded project [Tellus]. [The Tellus Border project] will make an important contribution to furthering [cross-border] co-operation.”

The surveys will be managed jointly by the two Geological Surveys, and will use world-class contractors to undertake the airborne and ground surveys.