Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 553: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the progress made in relation to the programme for Government proposal to ensure all non-core funding is allocated in a competitive way, ensuring that all institutions competing for research money achieve the highest of standards and that research results in a tangible benefit at farm and food business level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28608/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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All non-Core research funding programmes i.e. FIRM (Food Institutional Research Measure), RSF (Research Stimulus Fund) and COFORD (Forestry Research) are operated solely on a competitive basis.

The independent evaluation process involving international experts, coupled with the competitive nature of the programme ensures that only the very best projects receive funding. Certain standards are set to ensure the projects are of the highest scientific standing with inter-institutional and interdisciplinary collaboration. Only project proposals that score above 60% are considered for funding.