Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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102. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will report on the latest estimates concerning meeting set goals in assessing Irish success in Horizon 2020 programmes. [17127/15]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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In December 2013, the Government approved a national strategy for participation in Horizon 2020 together with an ambitious target of €1.25 billion in funding to Ireland over the lifetime of Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (2014-2020). The strategy sets out a comprehensive range of actions designed to maximise Ireland’s participation in the programme and achieve the target, involving all of the key Departments, agencies and research performers. A Horizon 2020 High Level Group (HLG) under the chairmanship of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation was established to oversee the implementation of the national strategy for engagement with Horizon 2020. More recently, and under the auspices of the HLG, a Strategic Research Proposals Group has been established to catalyse for projects of larger scale.

In the context of the Action Plan for Jobs 2014, a target of €100m. was set for 2014, the first year of operation of Horizon 2020, recognising that participation and success in Framework Programmes tend to ramp up over their lifetime.

Full year data are not yet available from the EU Commission for 2014. Based on the latest data release, covering the first 9 months of 2014, Ireland has secured €97m. of funding. On the basis of this figure I am confident that we will exceed the target we set ourselves for 2014, notwithstanding the very competitive nature of Horizon 2020.

My Department will continue to drive engagement with Horizon 2020, through the HLG, the Strategic Research Proposals Group, and the National Support Network for Horizon 2020 led by Enterprise Ireland. This will include ongoing identification of key areas of opportunity where Irish researchers, agencies and companies can maximise their participation in the Programme and initiatives to mobilise both the research community and enterprise to bid for and secure funding under the Programme.