Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 290: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he has considered the proposal, by a person (details supplied) of the European Science Foundation, that Ireland establish a European institute of mathematics and innovation to create a new European infrastructure focused on mathematics for innovation following recommendations of a Forward Look managed by the European Science Foundation in collaboration with the European Mathematical Society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9511/12]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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One of the recommendations arising from the European Science Foundation "Forward Look, Mathematics and Industry" publication which I launched in October 2011, was that EU and National funding agencies should coordinate clusters of excellence in industrial mathematics to create a European Institute of Mathematics for Innovation (EIMI).

The European Institute, given the complexity with so many groups involved, would be primarily a virtual institute bringing together the wide variety of mathematical expertise across Europe and act as a single point for industry, collaboration and education.

Ireland would welcome the opportunity to be part of the EIMI initiative given that, primarily through efforts supported by Science Foundation Ireland and the Higher Education Authority, we have worked hard to develop several groups of scale and top-class quality working in the area of industrial mathematics and computation for industry. Examples of these groups are:

· MACSI – the Mathematical Applications Consortium for Science and Industry at the University of Limerick,

· ICHEC – Irish Centre for High-End Computing at NUI Galway and Trinity College Dublin;

· The 4C group (the Cork Constraint Computation Centre) at UCC; and

· The Hamilton Institute at NUI Maynooth.

Each of these groups has already an excellent track record of success in working with multiple industry partners. Now as part of the evolution of our national research effort and for further enterprise development needs SFI are looking at ways to consolidate our own mathematics groups in this area to fully realise the potential for Irish industry and beyond.

Ireland must, if we are to reach our full potential and compete on a global stage, ensure that we foster the development of mathematicians and bring them together with industry to generate progress and innovation. Working in conjunction with a European Institute of Mathematics and Innovation is very much aligned with our policy thinking.

Ensuring enhanced mathematical capacity at national level is also underpinned by policy initiatives being delivered through the Department of Education and Skills such as the establishment of the National Centre of Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching and Learning, based in the University of Limerick; the introduction of curricula changes such as Project Maths; and the National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People 2011 - 2020, "Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life".