Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 676: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress to date with regard to the strategic innovation fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19756/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the 2006 Budget a multi-annual Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) was announced with an allocation of €300 million over the five year period 2006 to 2010. This was subsequently extended to €510 million under the National Development Plan. The Fund is intended to be a major catalyst in bringing about substantial change and quality improvement in our higher education institutions and promoting system-wide collaboration that draws on all institutions collective strengths. The objectives of the SIF include — the enhancement of the delivery of core activities of education and research, through effective and creative institutional and inter-institutional collaboration and, where necessary, appropriate internal restructuring and rationalisation efforts; to support innovation and quality improvement in teaching and learning, including enhanced teaching methods, programme restructuring, modularisation and e-learning; to support access, retention and progression at institutional level and through inter-institutional and inter-sectoral collaboration. Awards under the Fund are made on the basis of competitive calls for proposals. The results of the first call, amounting to €42 million, were announced in October 2006. The second call for proposals amounting to €130 million issued in August 2007 with a closing date of 19 October 2007. It is anticipated that the awards under this call will be made later this year.