Science Foundation Ireland invested €152 million in 307 new research awards to 20 institutions in Ireland last year, according to the organisation's latest annual report.
The report show €56 million in EU research funding was attracted by SFI funded researchers during 2013,
Seven new research centres were also delivered through a €300 million investment from SFI and over 150 companies – which the SFI said was the largest collaborative research programme in the history of Ireland.
The centres will support over 800 top class researcher positions and are anticipated to lead to the creation of up to 1,000 jobs as additional non-Exchequer funding is leveraged during their lifetime.
SFI said Ireland is now ranked 1st in the world for Immunology, 1st for Animal and Dairy, 3rd for Nanosciences, and 4th in Computer Science research.
Minister for Research and Innovation, Damien English said the headline figures that underline the performance are testimony to SFI's success in funding and promoting scientific research with both a social and economic impact.
“It is also very encouraging to see tangible evidence of how Irish research is moving up the international rankings, and how our researchers are working across the international science ecosystem, collaborating with 48 countries,” he added.
