Skip to main content
Normal View

Science Foundation Ireland

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 June 2021

Tuesday, 22 June 2021

Questions (462)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

462. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the details of contracts that have not been honoured by industry partners in Science Foundation Ireland research centres; the value of unhonoured contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33108/21]

View answer

Written answers

I should first explain that the relationship between Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)  Research Centres and their industry partner should not be perceived as purely transactional.  The agreements (Contract Research Agreement) that companies enter with SFI Research Centres are to engage in deeply collaborative research projects.   

As of end 2020 1,034 Contract Research Agreements (CRAs) with 528 individual companies have been signed by SFI Research Centres.  These CRAs represent commitments of over €250m from industry – over €128m of which is cash and just under €125m of which is in-kind.  From time to time a CRA may be signed but terminated before a project gets fully off the ground.  This is generally due to changes in company structures or ownership such as mergers or acquisitions.  Of the 1,034 CRAs signed just 9 (0.9%) have been terminated due to such circumstances.  Those CRAs terminated represented value of just under €600k cash commitments and €370k in-kind commitments.

Top
Share