Prof Butler's area of research is in food safety / food integrity and he specialises in the quantitative risk assessment of hazards in food. Since joining UCD, he has secured ~ 6 million in competively won research funding for over 30 research projects. He has attracted this funding from a variety of funding agencies including EU Framework, FIRM, STIMULUS, SAFEFOOD, Walsh Fellowship, Forbairt, Enterprise Ireland. Significant awards include funding of €0.6 million from four EU Framework projects - FOODINTEGRITY, QPORKCHAINS, PROSAFEBEEF and SIGMACHAIN.