Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 May 2006
354 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the amount of State funding allocated for research and development in the agrifood sector for each of the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16550/06]
Amharc ar fhreagra393 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the total amount of Exchequer funding spent in each of the years 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 on research and development in the agrifood sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16387/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 354 and 393 together.
My Department provides funding for research and development in the food processing and primary agriculture sectors through the Food Institutional Research (FIRM) and Research Stimulus Fund (RSF) measures, and also through the research activities of Teagasc, COFORD and of the Department's own laboratories.
The FIRM programme supports essential pre-commercial "public good" research for innovation in the food industry. Assistance provided under FIRM has resulted in new product and process developments, as well as providing a cadre of graduates for industry who are helping to stimulate an R&D culture in food companies. In the period 2002 to 2006, funding for FIRM was as follows:
|
Estimate |
Expenditure |
|
|
€m |
€m |
|
|
2002 |
8 |
7.099 |
|
2003 |
8 |
10.556 |
|
2004 |
11 |
6.742 |
|
2005 |
11 |
7.016 |
|
2006 |
14 |
— |
Under the Research Stimulus Fund (RSF), funding support is provided on a competitive basis for "public good" research carried out by research institutions, including the universities and Teagasc, and is aimed at filling R&D gaps in research activity in production agriculture, environment, rural economy and policy related measures. The research results are made freely available. Such projects are typically carried out over a three year period. Funding for RSF in 2002 to 2006 was as follows:
|
Estimate |
Expenditure |
|
|
€m |
€m |
|
|
2002 |
0.53 |
0.53 |
|
2003 |
0.493 |
0.591 |
|
2004 |
0.6 |
0.642 |
|
2005 |
3.03 |
1.642 |
|
2006 |
6.0 |
— |
In view of the importance of research in bio-fuels, the new round of research proposals for funding under the 2005 and 2006 RSF includes a research theme covering land use for bio-energy purposes. In the period 2002 to 2005, my Department has provided almost €363 million in Grant in Aid to Teagasc, which has supported, among other things, its research programmes. The 2006 Exchequer grant in aid for Teagasc (excluding pensions) is €100.3m. In the period 2002 to 2006, Teagasc spend on its research centres will be in the region of €291.3m.
Expenditure by COFORD, the State's forestry research body, amounted to €8.24m. over the period 2002 to 2005. The 2006 allocation for this work is €3.8m. Expenditure at the Department's own veterinary and other laboratories, including but not exclusively on research activities, amounted to €24.88m. over the period 2002 to 2005. The corresponding estimate provision for 2006 is €7.73m.
