merrion street

The Minister for Research and Innovation, today (Thursday) warmly welcomed the Government’s strong commitment to Ireland’s research, development and innovation system. This commitment is evidenced by the €384.9m capital allocation to support research funding programmes that will be delivered via the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (DJEI) in 2013. This funding will support research, development and innovation (RD&I) activities delivered through Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, IDA Ireland, the Tyndall National Institute and the Higher Education Authority.

Minister Sherlock said: “I am very pleased that Government has maintained its strong commitment to Ireland’s research system. The nearly €385m of capital provision through DJEI is a major signal of that commitment at a time when other international research systems are significantly cutting back on their research investments.

“Investing in Science, Technology and Innovation programmes is crucial in achieving a return to economic growth by encouraging innovation, promoting the export potential of enterprise and creating sustainable jobs.”

The Minister added “Since my appointment as Minister for Research and Innovation in March 2011 I have repeatedly been struck by the quality and relevance of Ireland’s scientific capacity and what it can deliver in a productive manner for Irish based enterprise.”

“More and more, IDA Ireland’s foreign direct investment wins-capacity is being underpinned by a strong research capability in various sectors where Ireland is competing, and winning, against some of the best global competitors. There is a demonstrable link between research funding and job creation.”

The Minister highlighted the near six-fold increase in IDA’s foreign direct investment wins that are RD&I related. Such wins were valued at €120m in 2004 and had risen to €700m in 2011. In addition over 40% (4,000 jobs) of the IDA new client wins in 2012 are in companies who have links to SFI funded researchers.

The Minister concluded by saying “Our research community needs to deliver even more for Ireland’s economic and societal development in recognition of the strong belief that Government is placing in our top-class scientists. Now it’s about smart investment in the 14 priority research areas, which are most likely to deliver economic and societal impact, and ultimately sustainable, high-value jobs in Ireland.”

ENDS

Notes for Editors

Examples of some of the key-initiatives that the DJEI research and innovation budget will support in 2013 are:

Continued implementation of Research Prioritisation in 2013 will result in more targeted investment in Science, Technology and Investment, which will enhance the effectiveness and impact of our research investment to deliver high quality, sustainable employment.

A primary SFI focus in 2013 will the announcement of a number of large-scale research centres, a €100m exchequer investment over six years involving multiple industry partners in research prioritised areas. This SFI investment that will leverage in excess of €30m in industry contributions to these centres. These large scale centres (typically 100+ researchers & 20+ industry partners) will deliver direct benefits in terms of the jobs agenda though generating centres with ‘critical mass’ to attract further FDI investment, maintaining existing FDI in Ireland; and assisting indigenous companies to develop their operations further.

In addition SFI will also continue to support its cohort of 3,000 researchers, working with over 600 industry partners, who employ over 90,000 people in Ireland. SFI will also be able to provide important supports so that Ireland is better placed to leverage increasing levels of research funding from external sources, such as the EU and win prestigious awards such ERC grants in the years ahead. SFI will also progress Ireland's relationships with key international partner countries, such as Brazil, India and China as well as providing funding supports to young talented scientists in Ireland.

A further enhanced focus on the commercialisation of State funded research, to maximise job creation from our investment in this area. In 2013 SFIs remit will be extended in the applied research arena. In addition through Enterprise Ireland – a new cycle of the €22m Technology Transfer programme will encourage commercialisation of research and collaboration between industry and third level institutions. The programme aims to produce 150 companies and license 514 commercial technologies to industry by 2016.

Enterprise Ireland will also deliver 3 new Technology Centres in the areas of Pharmaceutical Production, Data Analytics and Connected Health. This will bring to 15 the total number of Technology Centres supported. In addition in 2013 EI will support 95 Innovative High Potential Start Up companies, creating 1,000 jobs.

IDA Ireland’s capital budget is being protected at €86m to enable IDA deliver on its ‘Horizon 2020’ Strategy which covers the period 2010 to 2014. The €86m will be used to support FDI clients in three areas R&D, employment and capital grants. The 2013 jobs target for IDA will be in the region of 12,000 jobs.

In 2013 DJEIs research and innovation capital allocation will also allow for on-going support to 20 research infrastructure projects being supported through the Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions (PRTLI) (just under €17m) as well as a continuation of key supports to the Tyndall National Institute in Cork (€2.9m).

Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)

2013 allocation: €152.3million (2012 - €156m)

The 2013 capital allocation to SFI is marginally reduced by 2% but will still allow SFI to continue to underpin the Action Plan for Jobs commitment to use research and innovation to drive job creation, through funding enterprise facing research teams and major research centres across many strategically important areas, such as cloud computing, future internet, energy, marine/ocean energy, health, medical devices, pharmaceuticals and agriculture.

· The primary SFI focus in 2013 will be on the announcement of a number of large-scale research centres, a €100m exchequer investment over six years involving multiple industry partners in research prioritised areas that will leverage in excess of €30m in industry contributions to these centres. These large scale centres (typically 100+ researchers & 20+ industry partners) will further enhance IDA Ireland’s FDI capabilities. In 2004, approximately €120million of IDA’s investment wins were in research and innovation related projects. In 2011 this figure has risen almost six-fold to €700million.

· In 2012 more than 40% of IDA jobs announcements so far have been in companies with links to SFI research teams. That’s over 4,200 jobs in companies linked to SFI funded researchers.

· The funding allocation of €152.3m in 2013 will allow SFI maintain its direct support to its current research community of circa. 3,000 researchers who are connected to over 600 companies who employ over 90,000 people in Ireland. SFI will also offer supports to young talented scientists to grow the necessary skillset to support Ireland’s future sustainable, high-value jobs capability.

· SFI supports to Ireland’s research community will help to maintain Ireland’s reputation for world-class research in a number of strategically important areas. Overall Ireland is ranked 20th globally (up from 36th in 2003) in terms of our research capability.

· In specific fields we are currently ranked 3rd in the world for Immunology research (key to Life Sciences sector); 6th in Nanotechnology and 8th in Materials Sciences (both areas - key to Ireland’s Life Sciences, ICT and Energy sectors). These high standings are primarily, though not exclusively, a result of excellent research carried out by various SFI-funded teams. Such global rankings are seen as a key attractor for these sectors in terms of IDA’s FDI capability.

· In 2013 SFI’s remit will also be extended. This will see SFI funded activities move into the applied research arena, as well as continuing to provide key supports for oriented basic research. The extended remit will also enable SFI to fund on a wider geographical basis, meaning that for the first-time SFI will be able to fund on an all-Island basis.

· In addition the Foundation will be able to enhance commercialisation of previous research investments, primarily through their Technology Innovation Development Awards programme. This is in line with commitments in both the Action Plan for Jobs and the Programme for Government to drive commercialisation across the State’s innovation system.

· SFI will also be able to provide important supports so that Ireland is better placed to leverage increasing levels of research funding from external sources, such as the EU and win prestigious awards such ERC grants in the years ahead. SFI will also progress Ireland's relationships with key international partner countries, such as Brazil, India and China.

· In 2013 SFI will partner with Teagasc as part of key thematic funding supports to the Agriculture sector, through a call for research proposals relating to Smart-Agriculture.