Ms Julie Sinnamon:

Higher levels of support are available through the innovation partnership programme for companies that are in a collaboration with a third level institution. However, companies can also secure funding on their own. If they decide to do something collaboratively with a third level institution, the support available to them is significantly more generous. Apart from that, there has been substantial investment in third level and we are keen to improve the return on investment to the State in this area. Having the initiative launched by Ms Campbell up and functioning properly will help achieve this objective.