asked the Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism if his Department or the agencies under his control have applied for and received an allocation from the ESPRIT fund of the EC towards research and development; if so, if he will give details of projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Research and Development Funding.
11.
Mr. Cowen
ESPRIT contracts are negotiated by prospective participants directly with the EC. The National Board for Science and Technology promote and co-ordinate Irish involvement in ESPRIT and assist organisations to develop their proposals. Two agencies which are supported by my Department, the National Microelectronics Research Centre in University College, Cork, and the National Software Centre in Dublin, are involved in ESPRIT projects. To date the Microelectronics Research Centre have received £200,000 from the ESPRIT fund for their research and development work in the general area of microelectronics. The Software Centre have received a total of £61,000 in respect of software development. Apart from these two agencies some 16 Irish organisations comprising commercial firms, universities and research centres are involved in ESPRIT projects approved by the EC Commission during 1985. These projects are expected to yield approximately £5 million to the Irish participants. This amount is equivalent to 2½ per cent of total ESPRIT funding.