Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the amount of money disbursed in grant aid in each of the years 2000 to 2012 by Science Foundation Ireland, and to detail such disbursements by scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5286/13]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Science Foundation Ireland was formally established through the Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Act 2003 and its remit covers the provision of research grants to Ireland’s higher education institutions to support research in strategic areas of scientific endeavour that concern the future development and competitiveness of industry and enterprise in Ireland.

Prior to its statutory establishment, SFI operated as a sub-committee of Forfas and disbursed grants during the period 2001 until its statutory establishment on 25 July 2003 as follows:

2001 - €10.90m

2002 - €31.00m

2003 - €17.60m.

Details of the disbursement of SFI grants for the period 2003 – 2011 are outlined in the following tables. Further detailed information, for example on the nature of the programmes listed in the tables, is provided for in each of SFI’s Annual Reports 2003 – 2011 inclusive, which are available on www.sfi.ie. SFI systems and programme offerings have evolved quite significantly over that period, hence the more detailed provision of material at programme level from 2008 onwards. SFI grant offerings typically span a three to five year term.

The SFI Accounts for 2012, where total grants expenditure amounted to €156m, require final approval and sign-off by the Comptroller and Auditor General. Consequently it is not possible to provide a definitive breakdown of expenditure per programme for 2012 at this point.

Table 1 – SFI grants expenditure by Biotechnology, ICT and Research Frontiers

*From 25 July 2003-31 Dec 2003

Table 2 – SFI programme expenditure 2008 – 2011