€1.25bn research funding targeted

Horizon 2020 has been called Ireland’s billion-euro opportunity.

More than 2,000 scientists and researchers have attended the Irish launch of the EU’s seven-year scientific research and innovation fund.

European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn said the total €79bn in funding was part of the EU’s plan to get people back to work by supporting jobs.

“First and foremost, Horizon 2020 will be good for Europe’s citizens. With its focus on delivering both economic and societal impacts, Horizon 2020 will tackle the issues that matter most to people: Stimulating growth and competitiveness, creating new and better jobs; and finding answers to our biggest societal challenges,” she said.

Ibec welcomed the announcement, saying the funding would help all businesses.

Its innovation executive, Aidan Sweeney, said companies need to be aggressive in going after the funding.

“Horizon 2020 is the largest EU research and development funding programme yet, with a 30% increase on the previous initiative. Ireland needs to take full advantage ofthe opportunities that this programme presents,” he said.

“We welcome the ambitious national target for securing funding of €1.25bn from this programme. We now need to ensure that the high level of engagement that the programme seeks to encourage by companies, particularly SMEs, is quickly realised and developed over its lifetime.”

Chambers Ireland chief executive Ian Talbot said research would be key to any new jobs being created. “Research can be an important prerequisite for economic growth and job creation. Irish companies must embrace this opportunity if we are to reach our target of winning €1.25bn of this funding over the next seven years.”