Research competitiveness ‘threatened’ by Government freeze on funding

THE head of one of the country’s leading universities accused the Government of threatening research competitiveness yesterday.

The comments by Professor Roger Downer, president of the University of Limerick, were made as the Government continues a freeze on a €150 million third level research programme. The €150 million capital element of the €320 million third phase of the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions was put on hold last November. As a result, dozens of research projects and related building programmes have been delayed indefinitely.

Prof Downer told graduates of UL’s College of Science he hoped they would be active promoters of science and the ever-increasing importance of scientific research in ensuring Ireland’s economic welfare. “I hope you will express your outrage when, as has happened recently, governments make ill-informed decisions which threaten our national research competitiveness,” he said.

“And question why there appears to be such a disconnect between one arm of Government which states that research and higher education are vital if we are to participate in the knowledge economy and another arm of Government which reneges on commitments to provide modern research and teaching facilities,” said Prof Downer. Last week, a Government agency report recommended the €150 million capital budget of the PRTLI III be restored immediately. It was one of the conclusions of a study of the biotechnology sector produced for Forfás’ Expert Group on Future Skills Needs.

The independent report said that developing Ireland’s research abilities was crucial to developing overseas investment here by the biotechnology industry. The PRTLI funding is administered through the Higher Education Authority, which recently advised third level institutions it was unlikely the money would become available until some time next year at the earliest.

Last night, the Department of Education said Noel Dempsey would continue to press the case for dedicated resources to enable the lifting of the pause in the capital programme for PRTLI. “The department remains committed to the research agenda. However, this demand must be balanced with a number of other equally meritorious national priorities, including the need to address educational disadvantage, improve the quality of primary and post-primary buildings and the provision of resources to address special needs,” a spokesperson said.

She said the department has spent €160 million on research since 1999, as well as increasing resources to dedicated research bodies.