Ireland set for €1bn EU research fund

Ireland could be in line for up to €1bn in EU funding from a research and innovation package which will be negotiated during the country’s six- month presidency of the EU, which begins next week.

Seán Sherlock, junior research and innovation minister, will chair talks with 27 research ministers of the €80bn Horizon 2020 programme, which will fund innovation for six years from 2014.

Research in the area of ageing — on which Ireland has been to the fore — has been identified as one area where funding should be focused.