Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Mar 2000

Vol. 515 No. 6

Written Answers. - Research Fund.

Bernard Allen

Question:

66 Mr. Allen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the plans, if any, she has to administer the £560 million Foresight fund; her views on suggestions that a newly established research foundation may set up its own institutions without first assessing what is on offer from the universities; and her further views on whether she will consider that allocating a major portion of the fund to new research institutes will seriously undermine the ability of the regional universities and colleges to sustain growth in the two key research and employment areas of information and communications technologies and bio-technology. [6913/00]

Michael Creed

Question:

67 Mr. Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will ensure that the composition of the research foundation to be established to administer the £560 million Foresight fund will have a broad geographical base; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6914/00]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 67 together.

The Deputies are referring to the £560 million provision in the national development plan for a new technology foresight fund. This fund is an integral element of the £1.95 billion provision in the plan for research, technological development and innovation. This unprecedented level of investment, which represents almost 5% of the total funding outlined in the plan, is profound evidence of the high priority which this Government attaches to the role of research and innovation in driving future economic growth.

The technology foresight fund responds to the recommendations of the Technology Foresight Ireland Reports published last year by the Irish Council for Science, Technology and Innovation. ICSTI sought to identify the technologies that could contribute most to economic development in the future and presented a plan of the actions which are needed now to ensure that Ireland can exploit those technologies. The report recommended that our Department should establish a fund for investment in research in niche areas of information and communications technologies and bio-technology.

In this context, the Tánaiste and I have carried out an extensive consultation process with the objective of deciding on the most appropriate mechanism to disburse this substantial funding. We will announce the outcome of this process at the launch of the technology foresight fund in Dublin Castle tomorrow. I can assure the Deputies that the strengths of the existing research infrastructure have been taken into full consideration during this process. We have list ened carefully to all of the key players and will ensure that any mechanism which will emerge will be complimentary to, integrated with and work in collaboration with the existing research infrastructure.

I should point out that the key to the success of any implementation process will be a partnership involving all the main players in the research system, industry, third level colleges, research institutes and other research funding bodies, including Government Departments and agencies. It would be neither appropriate nor practical to pre-judge the level of financial allocations under this proposed technology foresight fund as this will ultimately be a matter for decision by the management of the fund.

I am sure Deputies will agree with the concept of ensuring an open and transparent system of competition and evaluation in any structures that will be introduced. The real objective of the partnership to which I have referred is to ensure that Ireland reaps the rewards of the substantial increase in investment in RTDI. We must get value for money and significant national impact from this investment. I have no doubt that we are at the first stage of an ambitious and exciting time for RTDI which will deliver the type of economic growth which will underpin future competitiveness.