EUREKA provides a mechanism to facilitate the coming together of industrial and research concerns to undertake commercially oriented collaborative R&D projects. EUREKA itself does not provide funding for such projects. Participating concerns must meet costs out of their own resources or any available national funding schemes.
Irish industry did not participate in EUREKA to any great extent over the period 1985-93. This was probably attributable to an unwillingness to collaborate in R&D, to the absence of a specific source of State funding and to a lack of awareness of the initiative.
To remedy the situation, I launched a new promotional effort in June 1993, making provision for a specific fund to grant-aid Irish firms interested in initiating or participating in EUREKA projects. At the same time, I set up a network of State agencies and industry associations to ensure the widest possible circulation of information on projects and opportunities for Irish firms, particularly for small and medium-sized firms.
I hope these measures will significantly improve the level of Irish participation. In fact, there are already signs of increased interest, with 12 companies having applied for grant assistance under the new Irish scheme since June 1993. I intend to ensure that the momentum now built up will be sustained through steady processing of the expressions of interest already received, and through regular circulation of information.
