Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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273. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if there has been any movement towards Ireland joining the CERN project; and the amount this would cost the Exchequer. [8212/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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International linkages are a crucial component of a national innovation system. In this context membership of international research organisations can play an important role in enhancing and supporting the effectiveness and output of Ireland’s innovation system. However, Ireland’s membership of international research organisations must be predicated on whether the benefit of membership, in terms of supports to Irish researchers, companies and jobs, justifies the costs involved. My Department is currently undertaking a review of Ireland's membership of international research organisations. The review encompasses those international research organisations of which Ireland is currently a member as well as those – including CERN – to which we do not subscribe at present. The extent to which membership might support national strategic objectives will be considered, particularly in the light of the development of a successor strategy to the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006-2013.

Concerning the cost to the Exchequer if Ireland were to join CERN, our current understanding is that the annual cost of full membership of CERN would be in the region of €10m. CERN also provide an associate membership option. Normally, the cost of this would start at 25% of the full cost of membership in Year 1, increasing incrementally until reaching the 100% level in Year 4.