1 minute read / August 23, 2024
The Irish government has officially launched its new R&D funding agency Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland – to combine the work of two previous national science funding bodies, as part of strategy to boost the country’s research system.
“Research Ireland will enhance our capacity to address the issues Irish society is facing, in particular climate change and the digital transition,” said research minister Patrick O’Donovan, announcing the launch on 1 August 2024.
The agency is an embodiment of Impact 2030, a 2022 plan to reform Ireland’s research and innovation system to maximise its impact on national priorities. This includes increasing EU research funding and collaborations, and applying innovation to make Irish businesses more competitive.
The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is aiming for minimum disruption for the research community, as Research Ireland finds its feet, said Deirdre Lillis, assistant secretary at the department.
Research Ireland will combine the work of the Irish Research Council (IRC) and Science Foundation Ireland (SFI). As things stand, SFI funds basic and applied research in STEM subjects, while IRC funds all disciplines, including most of the arts, humanities and social sciences. Together, they manage a budget of around €300 million.
