Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the objectives set out under the FP7 framework; the measures he will take to achieve the said objectives; and the budgetary allocation made for the project. [37974/06]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Framework Programme is the main instrument through which the EU's research policy is implemented. The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) has been designed to build on the achievements of its predecessor towards the creation of the European Research Area and carry it further towards the objective of developing the knowledge economy and society in Europe. The Budget for the FP7 Programme is €50.5 billion for the period 2007-2013.

The Programme has always been an important element in the internationalisation of Irish research. It has enabled academic and industry research groups to work with their peers across Europe and derive the benefits associated with collaborative research. In monetary terms, this activity has injected some €200 million of additional European funding into the Irish research system over the lifetime of the previous Programme FP6 (2003-2006). Ireland's Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation (SSTI) has set a national target of €400 million for FP7.

There is a very close alignment between Ireland's goals for science and research and those of the European Union. As such, FP7 will be a critical component in delivering on the targets set out in our national strategy for STI, which covers the same timeframe.

Ireland has made a major input into shaping FP7 and we are satisfied with its overall structure and content. Collaborative research, which will provide funding to facilitate transnational research partnerships and, the Marie Curie actions, which will provide support to encourage the mobility of researchers across Europe, will continue to form the bulk of the new Programme. We have played a lead role in pushing for simplification to make FP7 more attuned to the needs of industry and we were successful in ensuring the inclusion of the 15% target for SME participation in collaborative research.

FP7 also provides for new initiatives such as the European Research Council (ERC) which will support Europe's top researchers to undertake frontier research based on a European-wide competition for funding, This new programme will complement SFI initiatives and programmes which are focused on building a base of world class research in Ireland.

Today I officiated at our national launch of FP7 and it is now in the hands of researchers and companies to exploit the opportunities available. All participants in the Programme have to compete for funding — there are no funds allocated to Ireland per se. However, in order to help researchers and companies in Ireland to join partnerships and compete for funding, I have put in place a new national support structure that will provide practical assistance to help potential participants. The main elements of the support structure include: a key feature of the strengthened support structure is the appointment of a National Director for FP7, Dr. Imelda Lambkin, who will head up a dedicated FP7 Office to be based in Enterprise Ireland. This FP7 Office will support the work of our network of 30 National Contact Points and will act as a first port of call for newcomers to the programme. It will ensure that a co-ordinated and coherent approach is adopted across all of the components of FP7 so that researchers and companies are fully aware of all relevant opportunities; the development and promotion of a coherent and easy to access range of funding mechanisms to support applications to the programme from Ireland and the promotion of measures to support all island collaboration in the programme.

The support network will be resourced in all years from 2007 to 2013 using public monies channelled by Government Departments to the agencies and organisations involved.