Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 3 Jun 1998

Vol. 491 No. 6

Written Answers. - Research Funding.

Nora Owen

Question:

76 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason the National Research Support Board was informed that it could expect an allocation of new start funding of £1.5 million in 1998 which would have allowed £6 million worth of new projects to be commenced; the reason she is indicating that she is confident she will be able to allocate only £0.5 million for new starts in 1998; if she will provide a breakdown on where the extra funds allocated through a 10 per cent increase in the allocation to programmes run through the National Research Support Board, where those funds have been distributed; whether this distribution represents a real increase or is reflecting the increased costs associated with existing commitments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13050/98]

Nora Owen

Question:

77 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason the budget allocation to the programmes in advanced technology are being reduced to provide funds to support the basic science programme in her Department; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that one particular programme in advanced technology has had its budget cut by £500,000; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13051/98]

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Mr. Treacy)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 77 together.

I refer Deputies to replies I gave to questions in the House on 26 and 28 May 1998 where I outlined the level of funding made available to the National Research Support Fund Board (NRSFB) over the period 1996 to 1998. A detailed breakdown of the allocations is set out in the following table. The overall allocation for research for 1998 represents a real increase while the amount of £2 million allocated for basic research is sufficient to cover existing commitments. As I have already outlined in the replies referred to above, £0.5 million has now been allocated to fund new basic research projects in 1998.

The budget allocation for funding the programmes in advanced technologies has not been reduced to provide funds to support the basic research scheme. The 1998 allocation of £11.2 million is an increase of £1.1 million on the original 1997 budget of £10.1 million. During 1997, the programmes in advanced technologies received additional funding for capital expenditure, which brought forward funding which would have been required in 1998. No single programme in advanced technology has received a £0.5 million cut in its budget.

Table: National Research Support Fund Board Budget

	1996	1997	1998
Measure 4: Research
Scientific Research:—
—Basic	2,004	2,000	2,000
—Drugs Initiative	525	291	207
—Software Initiative		250
Sub-Total	2,529	2,541	2,207
Strategic Research	1,220	1,389	2,150
Universities Applied Research	1,300	1,400	1,700
RTCs Applied Research	750	1,000	1,000
Post Grad Support
—M.Sc.	294	240	312
—Ph.D.	965	850	850
Post Doctorates	200	280	200
International Collaboration	240	220	300
Administration	50	80	80
Sub-Total	5,019	5,459	6,592
Total Measure 4	7,548	8,000	8,799