The Government has opened a dedicated office to help Irish scientists and companies tap into the €50 billion allocated under the EU's next science budget.
The appointment of the national director of the new office, Dr Imelda Lambkin, will be announced later today by Minister for Enterprise Micheál Martin at the launch of the EU's research budget, the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).
The FP7 budget offers huge opportunities for academic and company-based researchers to draw down funds and enter research collaborations, the Minister will tell a gathering at a private launch at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin.
The Republic had a "major input" into the rules which will dictate participation in FP7-funded research, Mr Martin will tell delegates. This should make it easier for Irish university researchers, companies and organisations to take part.
There will be financial supports available to assist participants in putting together proposals for research under FP7, he will indicate. There are also measures to facilitate collaboration on an all-island basis. Dr Lambkin will head a dedicated FP7 office to be based in Enterprise Ireland. Its role will be to ensure researchers and companies are fully aware of the opportunities for funding under the €50 billion budget, which runs for seven years from January 2007.
The private seminar will include scientists who might participate in FP7-funded research but also "national contact points" for the programme - officials and academics who will serve as links to scientists and companies in other EU countries seeking partners in research projects.
Ireland has proved very successful in winning framework programme funding. FP6 was worth €19 billion and Irish researchers and companies secured funding worth €200 million. This involved more than 500 research partnerships.
Of the €200 million, about 70 per cent went to academic researchers, with 20 per cent secured by private industry and 10 per cent going to public research organisations such as Teagasc.
In recent years Irish researchers have been less inclined to seek out framework programme collaborations given the increase in Government support for scientific research. The new FP7 office will seek to reverse this trend.
Dr Lambkin was previously a senior policy adviser in the science, technology and innovation division of Forfás. More recently she moved to Enterprise Ireland.