Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 January 2023
52. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the amount of funding that was allocated to the space technologies programme by his Department in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3489/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Space Technologies Programme as outlined in Project Ireland 2040 relates to Irish investment in European Space Agency (ESA) Programmes. Ireland has significantly grown its investment in ESA in recent years in line with the National Strategy for Space Enterprise 2019 – 2025, which seeks to build an economically sustainable and expanding space-active industry, delivering quality jobs for the economy of tomorrow.
The table below outlines the State’s overall level of investment in ESA for 2021, 2022 and 2023. There has been a 25% increase in the base allocation to ESA over that period, with additional further funding allocated during 2021 and 2022.
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
|
€000s |
€000s |
€000s |
|
|
Base REV Allocation |
18.31 |
21.37 |
22.87 |
|
Supplementary Estimate |
8 |
5.8 |
|
|
EI Direct Allocation – B4 |
2.5 |
3 |
|
|
Capital Carryover |
0.94 |
0 |
|
|
Total |
27.25 |
30.17 |
ESA operates multiple programmes specifically for technology development including the Basic Technology Research Programme, the General Support Technology Programme, the Advanced Research in Telecom Systems programme, and the Future Launchers Preparatory Programme. These four programmes between them make up about three quarters of ESA technology research and development.
Figures for Ireland’s investment in these programmes are set out in the table below.
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
|
Basic Technology Research Programme |
€851,250 |
€852,500 |
€880,00 |
|
General Support Technology Programme |
€763,000 |
€958,000 |
€823,000 |
|
Advanced Research in Telecom Systems programme |
€2,123,414 |
€3,193,966 |
€2,811,000 |
|
Future Launchers Preparatory Programme |
€842,000 |
€542,000 |
€675,272 |
The increase in funding of ESA over recent years has resulted in the number of Irish based companies engaged with the ESA increasing by 39% since the publication of the Strategy, growing from 70 in 2019 to 97 in 2022. In 2021 16 start-up companies secured ESA contracts and Industry co-investment also increased from €3.3m in 2020 to over €4.6m in 2021.
Our continued commitment to invest in Irish space active companies is demonstrated by the Ireland's confirmation at the ESA Ministerial Council meeting in November 2022 that we intend to invest €125million in funding to ESA for the period up to 2027.
