Written answers
Thursday, 25 March 2021
Department of Education and Skills
Research and Development
Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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139. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide the public and private investment in research and development as a numerical value, a share of GDP, a share of GNI and a share of GNI* in each year since 2006, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16149/21]
Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) expressed as a percentage of GDP/GNP/GNI* stood at an estimated 1.13%, 1.47% and 1.88% respectively in 2019.
The OECD defines GERD as the total expenditure (current and capital) on R&D carried out by all resident companies, research institutes, university and government laboratories, etc., in a country. It includes R&D funded from abroad but excludes domestic funds for R&D performed outside the domestic economy.
As a percentage of GDP/GNP/GNI*, GERD has fallen since 2012. However, the actual amount of R&D investment has increased by 46.2% over this period and reached an estimated €4.027bn in 2019.
The table below shows the GERD and as a percentage of GDP, GNP and GNI* for the years 2006-2018, with an estimate for 2019. Figures for 2020 are not yet available.
| GERD as % GDP | GERD as % GNP | GERD as % GNI* | GERD €m. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1.20% | 1.38% | 1.40% | 2,214 |
| 2007 | 1.23% | 1.44% | 1.47% | 2,432 |
| 2008 | 1.39% | 1.62% | 1.66% | 2,606 |
| 2009 | 1.61% | 1.94% | 2.03% | 2,736 |
| 2010 | 1.59% | 1.92% | 2.07% | 2,669 |
| 2011 | 1.50% | 1.87% | 2.02% | 2,564 |
| 2012 | 1.57% | 1.99% | 2.18% | 2,758 |
| 2013 | 1.58% | 1.89% | 2.08% | 2,849 |
| 2014 | 1.52% | 1.81% | 2.00% | 2,967 |
| 2015 | 1.18% | 1.55% | 1.93% | 3,109 |
| 2016 | 1.25% | 1.54% | 1.94% | 3,414 |
| 2017 | 1.25% | 1.58% | 2.02% | 3,725 |
| 2018 | 1.18% | 1.50% | 1.93% | 3,812 |
| 2019 (est) | 1.13% | 1.47% | 1.88% | 4,027 |
Further details on the Government’s public expenditure on research and development are published each year in the R&D Budget Survey. This publication is compiled from a comprehensive survey of thirty Government Departments and Agencies. The most recent report was published by DETE in January 2021 and is available here:
.
Following a Government decision to transfer certain research and innovation functions, the R&D Budget Survey will be undertaken by my Department from 2021 onwards.
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