asked the Minister for Finance the progress made with regard to the proposals to set up a European Science Foundation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - European Science Foundation.
30.
From informal collaboration over several years between various academies and research councils in west European countries, a proposal has emerged to set up a European Science Foundation mainly concerned with the promotion of fundamental research. There would be no direct involvement by governments in the operations of the foundation which would be run by the constituent member bodies.
On 25th September, 1973, a conference at Gif-sur-Yvette near Paris composed of representatives of academies and research councils from 17 countries agreed on the principle of the creation of a European Science Foundation. A preparatory commission was formed and was charged with the working out of concrete proposals. The 17 countries included the nine EEC member countries as well as Austria, Greece, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Yugoslavia. The Irish institutions represented at the conference were the Medical Research Council, the National Science Council and the Royal Irish Academy.
At a plenary meeting held in Stockholm on 2nd and 3rd May, 1974, a definitive decision was taken to establish the foundation, of which the Irish members will be the institutions already named.