asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the arrangements he is making to assure value for public money in the newly announced IDA grants for product design and packaging, market research and consumer testing; the approximate proportion of the IDA budget to be devoted to these new categories of grants in 1987, 1988 and 1989; if any duplication or conflict exists between these new IDA activities and the existing activities of the Kilkenny Design Workshop and Coras Tráchtála; if these new grant activities of the IDA have been discussed by the Management Committee on Industrial Policy with all other relevant agencies and Departments; and the view of the MCIP thereon.
Written Answers. - IDA Grants.
15.
The Industrial Development Authority announced recently that they had reviewed and modified the operating procedures for the research and development grants programme provided for under the Industrial Development Act, 1986. The results of a survey of grant-assisted R & D projects in the period 1980-1984 showed that 461 manufacturing companies had achieved over £200 million in sales of new or improved products in that period, of which approximately £100 million was achieved in 1984 alone. The R & D grant payments in respect of these projects amounted to £8.7 million.
Expenditure on R & D grants constituted approximately 7.5 per cent of total IDA grant expenditure in 1986 and it is projected that this will increase to 10 per cent by 1989.
I understand that the revised arrangements for R & D grants have been discussed with Kilkenny Design Workshops and Coras Tráchtála and will not give rise to any duplication or conflict. The matter has not been discussed by the Management Committee on Industrial Policy.
As the Deputy is aware the NBST have been requested to review overall State expenditure on industrial research and development. I understand the NBST will be finalising their review shortly. I will consider what further action is called for in the light of this review.