Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2004
20 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the recent statement of the Tanáiste speaking in Paris that Ireland needed to double the number of researchers working in the science and technology fields; the action he intends to take to support such programmes in third level institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5242/04]
View answerAt its meeting in Lisbon in March 2000, the European Council agreed a strategic target for Europe to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion. An established priority for Ireland, as part of this wider EU objective, is to create a world class research, development and innovation capacity and infrastructure. An EU target of 3% of GDP spend on research and development by 2010 was subsequently established by the European Council at its meeting in Barcelona in 2002. I am aware of the significant implications of this commitment for the number of researchers required in Ireland, both in industry and in the higher education and state agency sectors.
In Ireland, unprecedented levels of investment are now being made in research and development across a range of research programmes. In this regard, the Government has committed €2.5 billion to research, technology, innovation and development under the National Development Plan 2000-2006. Since 1998, the commencement of the programme for research in third level institutions, PRTLI, the establishment of the two research councils and the establishment of Science Foundation Ireland have been particularly important developments. This investment has opened up major new opportunities for Irish researchers and for the attraction of researchers to Ireland from overseas.
The attraction of leading overseas post graduate, post doctoral and senior researchers into the Irish system is a key strategic issue for Ireland over the coming years as our domestic output of graduates and post graduates will not be sufficient to meet the demands for researchers made by our current investment in research and development and by the achievement of the Barcelona target. The challenges around attracting and retaining researchers have recently been considered on a joint basis by the Higher Education Authority and Forfás. The mobility of researchers within the European research area is also the subject of a current Commission communication and Ireland is supporting efforts aimed at improving researcher mobility in support of the broad goals of the Lisbon strategy. Overseas researchers are already being recruited in significant numbers under the programme for research in third level institutions, PRTLI, and Science Foundation Ireland's funding programmes. In this context, an agreement was concluded between the Government and universities in 2003 that fast tracks work permits for researchers coming to Ireland.
The Government will continue to work with research agencies and the research community in Ireland in addressing all of the issues associated with achieving the Barcelona target. In this context, a high level interdepartmental steering group is now at an advanced stage in agreeing a national action plan for this purpose.
