Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 143: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the specific measures that have been taken to increase public and industry wide focus on commercial opportunities available (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17608/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Among the functions of the Department's enterprise development agency, Enterprise Ireland, is the provision of a range of supports aimed at realising the commercial potential of Ireland's research community. These supports include the Commercialisation Fund, the Campus incubator Programme and the Technology Transfer Strengthening Fund. (1) The Commercialisation Fund:

Over recent years, there has been a significant increase in the levels of national funding available for research. In order to ensure that the Irish economy will derive a return on this investment, researchers are being encouraged and supported to deliver commercially relevant research results. The goal is to create new spin out companies and technologies which can help firms to move beyond their existing product and service offerings and explore new markets. Among the supports provided, is a Commercialisation Fund which delivers funding to supports academic researchers to undertake commercial, outcome-driven research and to bring that research to a point where it can be transferred into industry.

During 2007 and 2008 support was provided to 298 commercially relevant projects. In the same period outputs from research funded through the Commercialisation Fund have facilitated the creation of 17 company start-ups and 60 advanced enterprise relevant technologies. To date, a portfolio of 400 pieces of technology have been created and are now available for companies to develop. To boost this process, a new Business Partners Programme has been established to facilitate entrepreneurs' access to this portfolio and to develop new start-up companies. (2) Campus Incubation Programme

Enterprise Ireland's campus incubation programme provides a protective environment on Third level campuses where new companies can grow significantly in their formative years. The programme is designed to foster entrepreneurship and drive campus company creation, to support balanced regional development and to help realise the commercial potential of Ireland's research community. Spending time in these facilities gives an emerging company access to expert business development support, academic R&D expertise as well as a high-quality office location.

More than €50 million has been invested under the programme over 10 years which has created business incubation centres on the campus of each Institute of Technology around the country, as well and 6 specialised bio-incubation facilities in universities and 6 business incubation facilities. The impact of this investment can now be seen in the level of activity at the centres: currently there are 240 companies using campus incubation centres, which employ over 1,000 persons. Many of the centres are approaching full capacity and Enterprise Ireland is currently engaged in discussions with a number of the host institutions about supporting an expansion of the centres. (3) Technology Transfer Strengthening Fund

The presence of effective Technology Transfer offices in Third Level institutions is an important factor in increasing the level of intellectual property (IP) transferred to industry from research. Technology Transfer offices also facilitate the development of high quality and effective systems and policies to ensure that IP is identified, protected and transferred, where possible, into companies in Ireland.

The Technology Transfer Strengthening Fund supports the employment of technology transfer professionals in universities, to allow the institutions to manage their intellectual property and engage with companies in an effective manner. A level of investment is planned to ensure that over the next 5 years Ireland's technology transfer offices are adequately resourced to effectively carry out their role of capturing research results for economic benefit, as an integral part of the research environment. In the last two years the Enterprise Ireland supported Technology Transfer Offices facilitated the creation of 29 Start-up companies, 490 invention disclosures, 271 patent applications and 107 technology licence transfers.