Research & Innovation

Enterprise Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland, on behalf of Ireland’s national support team for Horizon 2020, hosted a breakfast meeting this week for Irish research leaders in Brussels ahead of the European Commission’s conference “Research & Innovation – shaping our future”.

This event was an opportunity to highlight the success to-date of Ireland’s participation by researchers and enterprises in Horizon 2020 and to discuss the importance of working together to influence the new European research framework programme, FP9.

The Irish delegation welcomed Robert-Jan Smits, Director General DG Research and Innovation as well as several members of the European Commission’s “High Level Group on Maximising the Impact of EU Research and Innovation Programmes” (Lamy Group) and key officials from the European Commission to hear about the impact of EU funded research programmes on Ireland’s growing research capability which is leading to increased business opportunities.

Speaking ahead of the event, Professor Mark Ferguson Director General of Science Foundation Ireland, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland and member of the Lamy Group commented: “Ireland’s researchers – academic, commercial and entrepreneurial – participate enthusiastically and successfully in the competitive and prestigious EU Horizon 2020 programmes. We plan to lead and win increasingly large important European research projects. EU research programmes are very important for small countries like Ireland allowing us to collaborate and access complimentary expertise and infrastructure and to compete at an international level thus demonstrating the quality of our researchers. EU research programmes compliment and synergise with our national research funding programmes and we look forward to increasing participation in future EU research projects.”

Dr Imelda Lambkin, Director of Ireland’s National Support Network for Horizon 2020 said: “We are delighted to have this opportunity to showcase Ireland’s success in Horizon 2020 to-date –  980 successful Horizon 2020 applicants so far, ranging from bright young research fellows through to high-tech SMEs and multinational corporations using Horizon 2020 as a business opportunity. They have won funding of €424 million, the equivalent of €2.6 million coming into Irish research per week. Today we are putting the word out – that Ireland’s researchers and companies are highly capable and have a strong support structure behind them. Therefore, consider Ireland a valuable resource for future partnerships and work with us to achieve great things.”