Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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18. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the way he plans to encourage greater take-up of research and development incentives among small and medium enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39088/14]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Investment in Research, Development and Innovation (R, D & I) is a key economic differentiator which can support Irish companies of all scales to adapt to, and excel in a global market which in turn leads to increased exports and jobs. As a result the Government considers that it is critical that Irish companies are supported to engage in R&D and Innovation.

Enterprise Ireland will support over 1000 companies to engage in R&D in 2015. These supports will include in-company R&D projects via the R&D Fund, small to medium sized collaborative projects with researchers in higher level institutions under the Innovation Voucher and Innovation Partnership programmes and large consortium based research via sector specific Technology Centres.

Enterprise Ireland's promotional approach seeks to have as broad a reach as possible. It ranges from "one to one" promotion between Enterprise Ireland client companies and their Development Advisors, to larger "one to many" promotional activities that include web based notifications, social media activity, national media and specific Enterprise Ireland events.

One such event is the National Innovation for Industry Showcase on 2^ndDecember 2014 in the National Conference Centre which will be the first convention, in one location, of all the Irish State-supported large scale research centres and Technology Centres. Working closely with my Department, Enterprise Ireland is coordinating this event in co-operation with Science Foundation Ireland, IDA Ireland and other relevant research funders. The aim of the event is to introduce industry to the excellent scientific research, and disruptive technologies being developed in the 38 state sponsored centres of scale. It also provides an excellent opportunity for centres to engage with companies as potential collaborators and to raise the awareness of the range of complementary R & D supports available to firms in Ireland.

Continued and intensified promotion such as this will continue throughout 2015 to ensure that as many SMEs as possible avail of the RD&I supports available to gain competitive advantage. Within the constraints of our economic circumstances, the Government for its part is continuing to prioritise the funding available for research, development and innovation and critically, maximising the impact of this investment on jobs and the economy.

Finally, the Government also has in place the R&D Tax Credit. This relief provides a 25% tax credit for qualifying Research and Development expenditure for companies engaged in in-house qualifying research and development. This Tax Credit is also available to Irish SMEs. Arising from Budget 2015, the R&D tax credit is being placed on a full volume basis with the removal of the 2003 base year expenditure criterion from 1^stJanuary 2015.