Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 43: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the target date for the achievement of 3% of gross domestic product spent on research and development in view of recent assessments of growth. [33863/12]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Under the Europe 2020 Strategy, the European Council adopted a number of headline targets, including improving the conditions for research and development, in particular with the aim of raising combined public and private investment levels to 3% of GDP by 2020. In accordance with the Strategy, Member States have adopted national targets on the basis of these headline targets, as set out in their National Reform Programmes, taking account of their relative starting positions and national circumstances and Ireland's target in relation to R&D is as set out above.

In light of current economic circumstances and participation in the EU/IMF Programme, Ireland's National Reform Programme, transmitted to the European Commission on 29 April 2011, specified that Ireland's target in relation to expenditure on R&D is to improve the conditions for research and development, in particular with the aim of raising combined public and private investment levels to 2.5% of GNP (approximately equivalent to 2.0% of GDP) by 2020.