Vol. 515 No. 2
96 Mr. Shatter asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the portion of the promised £560 million designated for research in the national development plan earmarked for health related research and development projects; if this funding will be allocated to existing health agencies, universities and other third level bodies or to new stand alone institutes; and the Government's policy on this research funding. [5612/00]
The Deputy is referring to the £560 million provision in the national development plan for a technology foresight fund. This fund is an integral element of the £1.95 billion provision in the plan for research, technological development and innovation. This unprecedented level of investment, which represents almost 5% of the total funding outlined in the plan, is evidence of the high priority this Government attaches to the role of research and innovation in driving future economic growth.
The technology foresight fund responds to the recommendations of the Technology Foresight Ireland Reports, published last year by the Irish Council for Science, Technology and Innovation. ICSTI sought to identify the technologies that could contribute most to economic development in the future and present a plan of the actions needed now to ensure that Ireland can exploit those technologies. The report recommended that my Department should establish a fund for investment in research in niche areas of information and communications technologies and biotechnology.
The Tánaiste and I have been carrying out an extensive consultation process with the objective of preparing detailed proposals for Government on the most appropriate mechanism to disburse this funding and we will be announcing the outcome of this process shortly.
