Bernard Allen
Question:256 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans, if any, he has to introduce legislation to allow the Health Research Board to widen its grants to an all-island basis. [3079/00]
Written Answers. - Health Research.
It is not proposed to introduce legislation to allow the Health Research Board – HRB – to widen its grants to an all-island basis. The Deputy may be aware that there is already in existence a North-South co-operation project grants scheme which was established two years ago with the aim of promoting co-operation between researchers on both parts of the island and which is working well.
The project is advertised widely in the national and biomedical press and applications forms are available. Following peer review, using either national or international experts, research project funding is granted to the projects of highest scientific merit and this is in keeping with the best practice of international funding agencies.
This year for the first time, the scheme is being co-funded by the Health Research Board and the Northern Ireland research and development office.
Recently I made an additional £500,000 available to the HRB for North-South research and when this is matched with £500,000 from the Northern Ireland research and development office a total of £1 million for North-South co-operation research will be available this year.