Sherlock praises continued success of Irish researchers
Issued : Monday 20 February, 2012
Statement by Sean Sherlock TD
Minister of State, Department of Enterprise, Jobs & Innovation and Department of Education & Skills with responsibility for Research & Innovation
The Minister for Research and Innovation, Séan Sherlock, TD, today (Monday) welcomed the continuing success of Irish researchers in winning €362 European funding for international collaborative research projects. "Irish researchers are engaging in pan-European research projects to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the EU, using funding from Europe's €50 billion Research and Development fund, the Seventh EU Framework Programme (FP7)".
According to Minister Sherlock, "The EU research agenda continues to complement our national priorities with an emphasis on moving new discoveries from the research stage to the marketplace, allowing Ireland to play our part in major societal challenges such as tackling diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's and building a low-carbon economy".
The current Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) offers Ireland's SMEs, multinationals, and research institutions valuable opportunities to participate in high-calibre research collaborations with our European counterparts. Congratulating the 11 member organisations of the Irish FP7 Support Network* which is co-ordinated by Enterprise Ireland, Minister Sherlock said "I am particularly pleased to see the high level of activity of Irish researchers both from academia and industry. Latest figures show that since the start of FP7 in 2007, 4,965 applicants from Irish-based organisations took part in proposal submissions requesting European funding. From these proposals, 1,137 applicants were successful, receiving €362m, giving an overall Irish success rate of 22.7%, above the European Member State average of 22.1%. This is a very positive indication of the prospects for Irish researchers'.
Minister Sherlock was speaking ahead of the meeting in Brussels of the EU Competitiveness Council which is making plans for the next EU research and innovation funding programme, Horizon 2020, which will commence in 2014. The Minister said he will take the opportunity to brief the Council on a range of initiatives announced last week in the Action Plan for Jobs.
"We need a sophisticated and more accessible financing environment that is built around helping our companies to succeed and is better equipped to support business growth and innovation. Ireland is working very much in tandem with European level initiatives in this respect", the Minister concluded.
