Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

It is in this context that investment in research and development becomes an all-important factor for success. The Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006-2013, launched in 2006 and underpinned in the national development plan, has marked a great shift in the investment in research and development in Ireland. While this shows we are moving in the right direction, we must be mindful our competitors are not standing still. In the face of strong competition from other economies, it is imperative that we sustain our investment over the lifespan of the NDP and the strategy for science, technology and innovation and secure our economic prosperity for the future.

As Science Foundation Ireland funding drives the growth in the number of researchers, adding more than 30 world class principal investigator teams each year and contributing to the doubling of our PhD output by 2013, the demand from industry must be in place to absorb the research outputs and PhD numbers. Recent survey data from the foundation indicates that SFI-funded researchers are engaged in more than 500 separate industry-university collaborations, involving 400 separate companies. This is remarkable given the relatively short period during which SFI funding has been available. The launch of the €500 million research and development grant scheme last January was a significant milestone in making it as easy as possible for companies to access research and development supports. These new schemes bring together financial supports for company-led research projects, providing an integrated and unified approach capable of meeting company needs flexibly and efficiently.

See this speech in context