James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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134. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers funded by the agencies under her aegis in each of the past ten years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39202/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Innovation 2020, Ireland’s 5-year strategy for research and development, science and technology sets out the roadmap for continuing progress towards the goal of making Ireland a Global Innovation Leader, driving a strong sustainable economy and a better society.  One of the strategy’s objectives is to ensure that education supports and helps to drive innovation.  This strategy has its goals to increase annual research masters and PhD enrolments and to support the full continuum of talent development from primary level through to Postdoctoral research.  This is building on the valuable work commenced and undertaken by agencies under my Department’s remit prior to the launch of the strategy. 

Science Foundation Ireland:

Science Foundation Ireland funding ensures that Ireland is producing the highly skilled talent and skills that are critical to the economy’s development and Ireland’s continued performance in global rankings in scientific research excellence.  There are currently a total of 4,239 people working on Science Foundation Ireland supported research projects.  Of these, 1,441 are postgraduate students.  27% of PhD departures from Science Foundation Ireland funded teams went to industry as a first destination in 2016 and 32% of postdocs went to industry as first destination in the same period.

The table presents the number of PhD students and post-doctoral researchers attributed to active Science Foundation Ireland awards.

Science Foundation Ireland Doctoral and Post-Doctoral numbers

PRTLI:

The Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) was launched in 1998. The programme provides funding for third-level research infrastructure, national shared facilities, and structured PhD programmes.  The PRTLI transferred to my Department in 2010 from the Department of Education and Skills. The Higher Education Authority continues to administer the programme on behalf of my Department.

There have been 5 Cycles of the PRTLI to date with investment totalling €1.2 billion of combined Exchequer and private investment. PRTLI Cycle 5 was launched in July 2010 with total awards of €359m announced across 36 distinct projects involving capital infrastructure and structured PhD/Emergent Technologies programmes.

The planning and design of a successor to Cycle 5 of PRTLI is an action in Innovation 2020 and is being progressed by my Department working closely with the Department of Education and Skills.  My Department has included a proposal to commence funding for a successor to Cycle 5 of the PRTLI in its submission to the Mid-term Review of the Capital Plan. There will be more clarity on a successor to Cycle 5 when this review is concluded, and the funding envelope for this and other projects is finalised. 

PRTLI Doctoral and Post-Doctoral numbers funded 2007 - 2017

The number of PhDs and post-doctoral researchers has steadily increased in recent years and it is my firm intention to ensure that this trend is given increased momentum and importance in the years ahead through the implementation of specific actions in Innovation 2020 and funding for specific SFI programmes aimed at increasing the numbers of PhD students and post-doctoral researchers.

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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135. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation what State agencies which are involved in research funding; the annual budget for research funding for each; the criteria applied to applications under each agency and to different streams within each agency in which they exist, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39302/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The agencies under the aegis of my Department with responsibility for research funding are Science Foundation Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland.  In addition, the Higher Education Authority administers the Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions on behalf of the Department. 

Science Foundation Ireland:

The annual grants budget to Science Foundation Ireland for 2017 is €162.5 million.

Science Foundation Ireland funds across the career spectrum from early-stage researchers to mid-stage career researchers to emerging research stars and up to established highly-esteemed research leaders, through individual and collaborative awards.  Science Foundation Ireland makes funding decisions based on rigorous international peer review processes.  This process ensures that the agency is not only funding research that is excellent at an Irish level but that it is world leading as reviewed and agreed by international field specific leaders. 

Science Foundation Ireland currently operates approximately 25 funding schemes, offering a balanced portfolio of programmes, many involving national and international collaborations with both small and large companies, charities, international funders as well as national funders such as Teagasc, the Marine Institute, Environmental Protection Agency, Health Research Board, etc. Each of the schemes has varying review and eligibility criteria attached to them based on the objective, award level and complexity. There are a number of core applicant eligibility criteria applied to the funding programmes.  These are listed below by programme.

Each programme has a call document which outlines the eligibility criteria for each programme.  All programme calls may be found at .

Enterprise Ireland:

Enterprise Ireland drives innovation in Irish industry by developing in-company capabilities and by leveraging all external assets, such as the higher education system, the investor community, the Foreign Direct Investment Multinational base and international funding/expertise to support company innovations.

The funding for Enterprise Ireland’s innovation programmes provides direct and indirect research development and innovation supports for indigenous companies, equity funding for new start-ups and support for the commercialisation of State funded research.  In 2017 the annual budget for research funding was approximately €85m.

Typically in the application process Enterprise Ireland requirements include some of the following criteria. However, it differs depending on the programme:

- Applicants must show evidence of a commercial market for the proposed product or service.

- Applicants must prove that they will develop a business that is built upon on a strong foundation of innovation and/or technology.

- Companies who apply must be either Irish based manufacturing companies or Irish based internationally-traded services companies that can show adequate cash resources to implement the proposed project.

For specific programme application and eligibility criteria please follow the links in the table.

IDA:

IDA Ireland grants paid for RD&I forms part of the overall annual Agency Grant Payment Budget. 

As part of IDA Ireland’s current strategy (2015- 2019), IDA Ireland has committed to winning a cumulative €3bn in new RD&I Investment projects including in-house and collaborative RD&I projects with companies and universities by 2019.  The table outlines results achieved in 2015 and 2016.

IDA approves Research Development & Innovation Grants and Feasibility Study Grants to its portfolio of clients under the following guidelines:

Research Development & Innovation:

Companies can avail of financial incentives to carry out in-house R&D projects and collaborative projects with third-level institutes and industrial partners. There is also a 25% tax credit available for companies engaging in R&D.

R&D Funding

Financial supports for small and large-scale product, process or service R&D projects and stimulation grants to assist companies not involved in R&D activities to investigate the potential for an R&D project.

PRTLI:

The Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions (PRTLI) which is managed by the Higher Education Authority on behalf of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, supports the provision of top-class research infrastructure (buildings, laboratories and cutting edge equipment) as well as human capital development, through structured PhD/emergent technology programmes across Ireland’s Higher Education Institutes (HEIs).

In 2017 the annual allocation to PRTLI was €14.4m.  My Department is using the PRTLI allocation to meet remaining liabilities from Cycle 5 of PRTLI.  Funding allocated to PRTLI has been and will continue to be used to pay off some of the remaining Exchequer commitments.  HEIs have built new facilities, or developed new structured PhD programmes.  They submit claims to recoup the State’s committed amount on the particular project subsequently to the Higher Education Authority which administers the PRTLI on behalf of DJEI.