Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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1291. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a list of Irish and Israeli Government agencies, research institutes, institutions of higher education and or third-level colleges and industrial sectors and or companies that his Department has engaged with in the past three years in relation to Article 1 of the Memorandum of Understanding for a Framework of Co-operation between the Government of the State of Israel and the Government of Ireland in the field of Industrial Scientific Research and Technological Development (details supplied). [40864/21]

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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1292. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps his Department will take to ensure the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding for a Framework of Co-operation between the Government of the State of Israel and the Government of Ireland in the field of Industrial Scientific Research and Technological Development is line with European law in relation to differentiation between Israel and the illegal settlements and territories that have been illegally occupied and annexed by the state of Israel (details supplied).. [40866/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1291 and 1292 together.

40864 and 40866 together.

The Memorandum Of Understanding (MoU) for a Framework of Co-operation Between The Government Of The State of Israel and the Government of Ireland in the Field of Industrial Scientific Research and Technological Development was signed on 27 October 1999. As far as my Department is aware, there has been no bilateral activity under the MoU since the early 2000s. It is not unusual for countries to sign bilateral agreements to promote research and innovation collaboration, only for levels of activity to diminish or cease over time.

The most effective way for a relatively small system like Ireland to collaborate on research and innovation projects with other countries is through the EU Framework Programmes for Research and Innovation. A new framework programme, Horizon Europe, was launched earlier this year. Israel’s participation in EU programmes, including Horizon Europe, is governed by the specific conditions laid down in the EU-Israel Association Agreement.