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The Minister for Research and Innovation, Sean Sherlock TD, today (Wednesday) participated in meeting of the Competitiveness Council in Luxembourg on the proposed new programme for Research and Innovation from 2014-2020 called Horizon 2020. Talks centred on the rules for participation in the new €80 billion EU funding programme.

Minister Sherlock will Chair meetings of the Competitiveness Council on research and innovation issues during Ireland's EU Presidency in the first half of 2013. The Minister stated that the Horizon 2020 programme will be one of the main growth enhancing measures to be adopted next year.

The Minister also discussed Ireland's priorities in the research area with EU Commissioner for Research Innovation and Science, Maire Geoghegan Quinn. "Ireland has a very strong interest in developments at European level in relation to research and innovation. The Irish EU Presidency will come at a critical time in the finalisation of proposals for €80 billion of EU funding for research and innovation covering 2014-2020. Our job as EU Presidency will be to progress the completion of these proposals on behalf of the European Union ", said Minister Sherlock.

The Minister also pointed out that "Ireland has been particularly concerned in the negotiations of the Horizon 2020 funding proposals to see greater emphasis placed on participation by Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). We have made progress on this and a higher target for SME participation has been agreed by the European Council.

"Irish researchers have to date won awards totalling €438 million under the current EU Research and Innovation funding programme, Framework Programme Seven (FP7). I am confident that will do even better under Horizon 2020 and I look forward to working with the European Parliament and the European Council on concluding the negotiations on this new programme next year " the Minister concluded.