Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 5 Jul 2001

Vol. 540 No. 3

Written Answers. - Research Funding.

Cecilia Keaveney

Ceist:

50 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the progress made in relation to having a research technology centre or science foundation located in County Donegal to help achieve a critical mass of both intellectual and physical capital to stimulate the growth needed to create and sustain the right mix of industries, services and jobs for the county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20650/01]

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Mr. Treacy)

Funding is available under the regional operational programmes of the National Development Plan 2000-2006 to support the development of business incubation and research and development space in institutes of technology. The operational programmes for the BMW and southern and eastern regions each contain a sub-programme on local enterprise development. The objectives of this programme include enhancing the quality and availability of employment and building research and technological development within the region.

The main elements of the programme are concerned with strengthening the regional innovation infrastructure by facilitating the provision of incubation and commercial R&D space for the development and establishment of high potential businesses, with a particular emphasis on the role of the institutes of technology. Under the terms of the measure, funds are available to institutes of technology to develop and expand incubation space and commercial research and development facilities. The main objectives of the measure are to support the development and expansion of campus company activity; to encourage and support the commercialisation of R&D carried out in the institutes of technology and to embed the institutes of technology as major supports for the development of high-tech companies in the regions.

The measure is funded by the Office of Science and Technology of my Department and operated by Enterprise Ireland on behalf of and under the authority of the regional assemblies. The Deputy will also be aware of the opportunities arising from the establishment last year of Science Foundation Ireland, SFI, which invests in world-class research in niches of biotechnology and information and communications technologies, ICTs. It operates by inviting competitive proposals from outstanding researchers wishing to carry out world-class research projects in Irish public research bodies, including the institutes of technology. SFI recently launched two calls for proposals for SFI fellows and SFI principal investigators. These calls are rolling calls with no set closing dates. Applications may be submitted at any time and will be reviewed periodically.