Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 October 2024
573. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated annual cost to the Exchequer of increasing co-centres programme funding to €100 million for all-island research and innovation hubs. [38895/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Co-Centres Programme was established with the ambition of creating a dynamic research network across Ireland, Great Britain, and Northern Ireland, to deliver economic, societal, health and environmental impacts. Two Co-Centres are being funded by Taighde Eireann / Research Ireland, Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) – a Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems and a Co-Centre for Climate + Biodiversity + Water.
The Co-Centres, through co-operation and collaboration with industry and other key stakeholders, will bring scale, standing and cohesion to the research and innovation ecosystem across jurisdictions to facilitate a STEM-led multi-disciplinary programme of research and innovation. The Co-Centre Programme’s research may involve an inter-disciplinary approach across the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and shall be informed by a process of stakeholder engagement (including with end-users, policy makers and civil society).
Currently the Irish Exchequer has committed up to €35 million to the Co-Centres to be spent over a 6 year term, which commenced on the 1st January 2024. The Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs has committed up to £17m and UK Research and Innovation has committed up to £12m. A total of €74m has therefore been allocated to this initiative.
To bring the programme to a total spend of €100m would require an additional €26m. However, as this would be subject to negotiation with the other jurisdictions participating in the project, as well as industry co-funders, it is not possible to specify the quantum of funding that would be required of the State of such a change.
