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Minister Simon Harris applauded the report and said Ireland’s future economic growth and prosperity will depend on future R&D investment.
Government spending into research and development (R&D) has reached record levels in Ireland, according to a new report.
The Research and Development Budget 2022-2023 report shows that the Government’s allocations into R&D was roughly €963m in 2022. This report also estimates that the R&D allocations for 2023 surpassed €1bn, which will mark the first time this milestone has been achieved.
If the estimate is accurate, it will also be an increase of more than 11pc compared to Government R&D funding in 2022. Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris, TD, said he was delighted with the results given competing demands and “continuing pressure on public finances”.
“Research and development are key drivers of competitiveness, productivity and economic growth,” Harris said. “Ireland’s future economic growth and prosperity will depend in large measure on our continued investment in R&D.
“This State investment is all about developing a competitive, knowledge-based economy and society, driving innovation in enterprise, building human capital and maximising the return on R&D investment for economic and social progress.”
The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science was responsible for the largest proportion of Government investment in R&D in 2022, representing 53pc of the total investment that year.
This funding went into various programmes including the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund, which aims to drive collaboration between Ireland’s researchers and industry, and develop disruptive technologies for eventual commercial application.
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment was second with 24pc of total R&D investment in 2022, followed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with 10pc.
In 2022, Ireland launched a new Government strategy called Impact 2030 to build a more inclusive and engaged research and innovation system in Ireland that can help mobilise resources to address major issues ranging from the climate crisis to health and wellbeing.
“This positive momentum must be maintained and as recognised in Impact 2030, we must continue to give R&D funding sufficient priority to ensure Ireland remains a strong innovation leader,” Harris said.
One significant change last year was the introduction of a national research classification system to improve how Ireland can optimise and best articulate the valuable work being carried out across the sector.
“This research classification system was specially adapted for Ireland and will help strengthen ties between Government departments and the public research system and play a greater role in policy formation,” Harris said.
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