Written answers

Tuesday, 25 May 2010

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation

Research and Development

2:30 pm

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 93: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to the requirement for all EU member states to adopt a national action plan setting out specific objectives and actions to develop an attractive researcher career and increased researcher mobility, in accordance with the communication issued in 2008 by the European Commission, Better Careers and More Mobility: A European Partnership for Researchers; the progress that has been made in adopting such a national action plan; the result of the consultation process undertaken by his Department in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21320/10]

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Following the European Commission's 2007 Green Paper, "The European Research Area: New Perspectives," the Commission launched a number of initiatives aimed at achieving the ERA, including a Communication, published in May 2008, on "Better careers and more mobility: A European Partnership for researchers," which targeted four key areas for improving researcher careers and mobility, namely:

· open recruitment and portability of grants

· meeting the social security and pension needs of mobile researchers,

· attractive employment and working conditions and

· enhanced training, skills and experience for researchers.

The Commission emphasised the "partnership" approach to its initiative, recognising the distinct competences of the Member States and the Commission in relevant areas. This approach was endorsed by the Competitiveness Council in September 2008 when the Council adopted Conclusions on "Better careers and more mobility: A European Partnership for researchers" and invited Member States to draw up National Action Plans comprising definition of national objectives and actions, on the basis of the priority lines of action proposed by the Commission, or any other appropriate actions, and to report regularly on actions undertaken or envisaged.

Ireland welcomed this initiative and is supportive of the concept of the European Partnership for Researchers between the Commission and the Council and the Member States. My Department has responsibility for preparing the National Action Plan and is currently drawing up a draft Action Plan. The plan will take into account consultations with key stakeholders, which have yet to be completed. The Action Plan, when completed, will record the state of progress in relation to relevant issues, recognising the competences of the relevant bodies in relation to further progress.

Ireland's National Action Plan is our plan of actions to improve researcher careers and mobility in line with overall EU partnership, taking into account our specific circumstances. It will address each of the four areas targeted by the European Commission and, in doing so, will also highlight areas where progress has already been made, for example:

· The implementation of the European Scientific Visa (Hosting Agreement Scheme) under Council Directive 2005/71/EC on Third Country Researchers;

· The establishment of the Irish Researchers Mobility Office, a one-stop shop for researchers linked to the European Researchers Mobility Portal, (now "Euraxess") which is operated by the Irish Universities Association and supported by my Department; and

· The adoption of the European Charter and Code for researchers in all seven of the Irish Universities.

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