Government to create a central innovation pool to fund research

Increased funding for research has been promised under new proposals agreed by a Cabinet subcommittee, according to the Minister of State responsible for science. The subcommittee, involving officials from the various departments which fund research and chaired by the Minister of State for Science, Technology and Commerce, Mr Michael Smith, has argued for the creation of a "central innovation pool" which would be used to support research.

The funding "pool" would be created from savings achieved by the subcommittee departments in the run-up to the Estimates. Mr Smith promised yesterday to match this pool "pound for pound" with additional State resources, creating a fund which could then be drawn down by industry and third-level researchers.

He warned, however, that applicants would have to compete for access to the fund, scheduled to come into play during 1998. "You are not going to get £30,000 just because you got it last year," Mr Smith said.

While some funds would be withdrawn from researchers to create the pool, those who lost funding would be able to compete for a share of the larger pool. The fund would support both basic and applied research, he said. "The only thing that matters is that the research is relevant to Irish industry."

He said he wanted to get away from divisive arguments over basic versus applied research, to a realisation that there was only "good" research. Both types of research were necessary to improve Ireland's competitiveness.

There would be gradual and incremental increases in resources for research, he said.

Mr Smith was speaking at the opening yesterday of the secondyear review of the National Research Support Fund Board, a joint venture between Forbairt and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment's Office of Science and Technology.

Established in 1995, the board allocates resources under the Measure 4 research programme, which is co-funded by Structural Funds and Government.

There was a "strong correlation" between research activity and enterprise, stated Mr Peter Coyle, chairman of the board. "We actually see many campus companies coming out of research and into promising new enterprises."

The board disbursed £8.5 million during 1997, up from £7.5 million in 1996 and £5 million in 1995. The funding this year included a £1 million initiative against drugs, launched in September 1996, and 26 programmes were chosen under this scheme.