Editorials

The Irish Times view on research funding: a vital area to be supported

If Ireland really has aspirations to become a research leader, it will need increased investment

Senior academics hand an 'open letter' on behalf of university researchers to Simon Harris's Department of Further and Higher Education. Pictured (from left) Prof Luke O’Neill, Prof Jane Ohlmeyer and Prof Kingston Mills, all from TCD ( Photograph Nick Bradshaw for The Irish Times)

Thu May 4 2023 - 20:18

Research and innovation in Ireland has transformed over recent decades. Total annual Government investment in the sector has climbed from less than €250 million in 2000 to almost €1 billion today. It is an area of vital national significance which brings jobs, investment and prosperity.

While investment has increased, Ireland is at real risk of being overtaken by other EU member states as they invest more in their research and innovation systems. Ireland has slipped down various innovation leaderboards in recent years. It has also fallen well behind its national target of investing 2.5 per cent of economic output in research and innovation by 2020. While this may be partly related to Ireland’s strong economic growth, the country still lags well behind European spending levels.

The Government, meanwhile, is preparing legislation that will reconfigure the research funding landscape for generations to come through the Research and Innovation Bill, 2023.

For many academics, it feels like an uncertain crossroads. Almost 2,000 researchers have signed an open letter calling for a step-change in how the area is funded. They want greater consultation with the research community about the new legislation and a balance between funding for different disciplines.

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Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris has pledged that the new agency will drive “world-class research and innovation” in Ireland and work with other research funders and enterprise, both in Ireland and abroad. He will be judged by the results of the new agency and overall investment. While the outlook is uncertain, one thing is clear. A failure to keep pace with other advanced economies represents a significant risk to the competitiveness of the Irish economy, to productivity, to employment growth and attractiveness to foreign direct investment.

If Ireland really has aspirations to become a research leader, it will need increased investment to deliver responses beyond modest improvements.

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