Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

145. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount paid to the European Space Agency in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4115/23]

Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Ireland has significantly grown its investment in the European Space Agency (ESA) in recent years in line with the National Strategy for Space Enterprise 2019 – 2025, which seeks to build an economically sustainable and expanding space-active industry, delivering quality jobs for the economy of tomorrow.

The overall amount paid to ESA by the State in 2022 was €30.17 million, an increase of almost 30% since the publication of the Strategy.  This increased level of funding in ESA is resulting in excellent growth in the Irish space sector with the number of Irish based companies engaged with the ESA increasing by 39% since 2019, growing from 70 to 97 in 2022.

We are committed to continuing to engage with industry and researchers to ensure that we have a strong expanding space-active enterprise base in Ireland.  The announcement last November of further funding for ESA of €125 million up to 2027 is an important signal to the sector that we intend to support and grow the enterprise and research base to ensure that Irish enterprises are equipped to seize new opportunities promised by the evolving global space market for business, research, society, the economy and the environment.