Research - Ireland

Updated 04.2010

Legal requirements

The EU would like to see spending on Research and Development (R&D) rise to 3% of GDP by 2010. With this in mind, Ireland is encouraging businesses to invest in research and innovation.

The Irish government aims to double the number of PhDs and boost the number of those taking up employment in the enterprise sector. Through its Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006-2013, it is targeting a more effective commercialisation of the ideas and know-how generated in Irish universities and public research institutions, as well as new partnerships between these institutions and enterprise.

Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006-2013 [2 MB]

This strategy forms one of the main pillars of the National Development Plan (NDP) 2007-2013.

The Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Programme over the period of the NDP has been allocated funding levels as follows:

World Class Research STI Sub-Programme - €3.462 billion;
Enterprise STI Sub-Programme - €1.292 billion;
Agri-Food Research Sub-Programme - €641 million;
Energy Research Sub-Programme - €149 million;
Marine Research Sub-Programme - €141 million;
Geoscience Sub-Programme - €33 million;
Health Research Sub-Programme - €301 million;
Environment Research Sub-Programme - €93 million.
National Development Plan
First Report on the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation [1 MB] (2008)
Science, Technology and Innovation - Delivering the Smart Economy [3 MB] (August 2009)

R&D bodies

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment 's (DETE) Office of Science, Technology and Innovation (OSTI) is responsible for the development, promotion and co-ordination of Ireland's Science, Technology and Innovation policy; and Ireland's policy in European Union and international research activities.

DETE - Office of Science, Technology and Innovation (OSTI)

Science Foundation Ireland is a public body which provides awards to support scientists and engineers working in the fields of science and engineering that underpin biotechnology, information and communications technology and sustainable energy and energy-efficient technologies development.

Science Foundation Ireland

Forfás is Ireland's national policy advisory body for enterprise and science. It provides independent and rigorous research, advice and support to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and government bodies in general.

Forfás

The Advisory Council for Science, Technology and Innovation provides policy advice to the Irish Government on medium and long-term science, technology and innovation (STI) issues. Its report "Maximising the Environment for Company Research and Development" makes a series of recommendations on how to improve the environment for companies to engage in research, development and innovation (RD&I) in Ireland.

Alongside R&D, innovation is essential for businesses to develop and stay competitive.

New ideas — Ireland

Intellectual property must be protected to encourage research.

Intellectual property — Ireland

Administrative procedures

Tendering

The e-tenders procurement website displays Irish public sector procurement opportunities. It provides for the online submission of tenders and its service is free of charge.

Resources

BASIS (Business access to state information and services) delivers government information and services to businesses online. The information is structured around the lifecycle of a business, such as starting up and employing staff.

The EU rules and Irish government guidelines for tendering of public contracts are described in the Public Procurement Guidelines.

Public Procurement Guidelines - Competitive Process

Programmes

Various Research and Development programmes provide financial and specialist support to companies developing their R&D capabilities.

Support Programmes for Industrial Research and Development

These programmes give Irish companies the opportunity to collaborate in R&D with companies from other countries.

International R&D Opportunities for Companies

Eureka is an international R&D initiative providing an opportunity to meet potential partners, across 35 European countries, for future R&D collaboration.

EUREKA

The COST programme is a framework to bring together research teams from across Europe.

COST - Co-Operation in Science and Technology

Through the Seventh EU Framework Programme (FP7) grants are provided to co-finance research and technological development. An Irish government Cabinet Committee has agreed that the total share of EU funding to be targeted by Ireland over the lifetime of FP7 should be in the region of €600 million.

Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) operates a range of funding programmes, in particular the core Principal Investigator (PI) programme, Centres for Science Engineering Technology (CSET) programme and the Strategic Research Cluster (SRC) programme. These programmes not only increase the number of world-class research teams in areas of strategic importance to Ireland, they also make vital connections with industry partners.

Science Foundation Ireland

Information on the funding available and the scope of the European Research Award Scheme for Young Investigators (EURYI) is provided on the BASIS website.

European Research Award Scheme for Young Investigators

Details of financial support to encourage companies to undertake research projects with Irish universities and institutes of technology is provided on the BASIS website.

Innovation Partnerships

Enterprise Ireland brings a range of supports together as part of its commitment to the commercialisation of research. Information is available on the BASIS website on its Commercialisation Fund.