Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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453. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the next national research and innovation strategy including the key priority areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58630/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The development of a new National Strategy for Research and Innovation (R and I) is a key commitment in the Government’s Economic Recovery Plan 2021, which sets out the “dual ambition of placing research, development and innovation at the heart of addressing Ireland’s economic and societal challenges, and building capacity and capability across the research and innovation system to move R&I up the value chain.”

My Department is leading the development of this new national strategy, in consultation with key Government Departments, agencies and stakeholders. This new Department has been established with a clear mandate to work with all stakeholders to strengthen Ireland’s R&I ecosystem, drive reform and collaboration, and enhance outcomes which contribute to meeting societal, economic and global challenges.

The Strategy is under development by the Department and consultation with relevant Government Departments and agencies is ongoing. Key priority issues that have emerged include:

- The value of R and I to the delivery of public policy objectives,

- Its continuing importance to economic development,

- The centrality of people and talent,

- The R and I environment, and

- The international perspective.

Following formal Government approval, publication is expected in early 2022.

It is the intention that the next strategy will set a vision and ambition for Ireland’s R&I system that all relevant actors will identify with and contribute to, with ambitious yet achievable national strategic goals and objectives out to 2027. Action-led Work Programmes will map out specific deliverables over shorter timescales. This will enable agility and responsiveness over the full period of the strategy and a strong focus on delivery and reform.