Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 January 2022
103. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Defence the status of the work of the Civil-Military Research Technology and Innovation Unit recently established in the Defence Organisation; the funding allocated to this unit in 2021 and 2022; the number of whole-time equivalent positions in this unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3956/22]
View answerThe Department of Defence and Defence Forces Strategy Statement 2021 – 2023 provides for the establishment of a civil – military research, technology and innovation (RTI) unit to ensure that Ireland’s Defence Organisation have access to research, technology and innovation in order to develop capabilities.
The unit is being developed on a staged basis. Stage one commenced in January 2021 and focused primarily on the Defence Organisation’s partnership with Science Foundation Ireland (SFI). The partnership created the SFI – Defence Organisation Innovation Challenge which is an innovative programme with the overarching ambition to develop new technologies, aligned with our National Defence Policy and supporting Defence Forces capability requirements, that also have the potential to deliver significant societal impacts within Ireland. Challenges in five areas plus an open challenge on disruptive technologies, were presented to Irish research institutions. These proposals were then judged by an international panel of researchers in line with best academic practice.
The Challenge entered the concept phase in January 2022, where a number of research teams were selected by the international review panel to move forward within the Challenge. This concept phase will be launched by me and my colleague, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in February 2022.
The RTI unit is in the process of moving into stage two in its development. The focus during this stage will be on introducing applied research and development for capability developments, embedding a culture of innovation within the Defence Organisation as well as accessing international funding activities which will deliver long term strategic benefits. A key focus of the RTI Unit going forward will be to support Irish research institutes and enterprise in securing funding from the European Defence Fund and also accessing the supply chains of major defence research and industry actors in the EU including as members of EU wide consortia.
The Department, through the RTI unit, contributed €250,000 to the SFI – Defence Organisation Innovation Challenge in 2021. All other Unit activities were undertaken within the normal operating budget of the Department. The funding requirement for 2022 will be met from within the Defencw Vote.
The unit was established in January 2021 with a whole time equivalent staffing of 0.4 civilian and one military. The current whole time equivalent staffing for the unit is 0.8 civilian and two military.
