Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 June 2014
20. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the investment priorities of Science Foundation Ireland; if the investment is geared towards pure or so-called blue skies research or applied research; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23812/14]
View answerScience Foundation Ireland’s investments build links between academia and industry in areas of national importance in order to promote and assist the development and competitiveness of industry, enterprise and employment in the State. The remit of Science Foundation Ireland was amended last year with the enactment of the Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Act 2013 (No. 36 of 2013) to enable SFI to fund applied as well as oriented basic research in strategic areas of opportunity for the State.
The Act as amended also enables SFI to:
- develop and extend the capability for the carrying out of oriented basic and applied research in institutions
- promote attraction to the State world class researchers and research teams in strategic areas of opportunity for the State
- provide funding on an all-Island basis, subject to excellence and strategic criteria being met;
- enter collaborative arrangements with international partners; and
- provide funding to promote the study of, education in and awareness of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The legislation provides that the Minister may prescribe by regulations the strategic areas of opportunity. The Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) (Strategic Areas of Opportunity) Regulations 2013 (S.I. No. 476 of 2013) prescribed the areas of identified in the National Research Prioritisation Exercise which was approved by the Government in March 2012 as strategic areas of opportunity for the purposes of the Act.
