Ireland – a land of innovation, research and culture
11 May 2009
Ireland
In the first two years of FP7 there were almost 1,500 applications from Irish-based organisations. Of these proposals, 353 applicants were successful, giving a success rate of 23.66%, Irish achievements are many, across all the programmes in FP7.
The Irish stand at the Research Connection 2009 conference provided a window on Irish R&D capacities and specialist research infrastructures providing visitors with an opportunity to learn more about Ireland as a partner in European research projects and the European Research Area.
Contributors on the stand included leading Irish researchers who are partners in major FP7 projects across the cooperation, capacities and people programmes. Thematic areas included health, food, agriculture, fisheries and biotechnology, NMP, space, energy, environment, MarieCurie and research infrastructures.
As an island nation, there was a major marine focus to some of the projects represented. According to Geoffrey O’Sullivan, International Cooperation Programme Manager at Irish Marine Institute “Ireland has jurisdiction over a marine territory of some 900,000 sq km – some nine times its landmass, such that Ireland is 90% undiscovered, undeveloped and underwater and in fact more than half of Europe is underwater. As such, it is critical to ensure the sustainable and innovative development of this very substantial European marine resource”
According to Sean Burke, Ireland’s National Delegate / National Contact Point for research for the benefit of SMEs, who addressed a delegation of researchers and companies, “SME's are the economic lifeblood of Europe. In this context, the FP7 programme "Research for the benefit of SMEs" has strong relevance in enhancing Irish SMEs innovativeness in business. With clear problem definition, research objectives and a strong business exploitation path, this scheme is of direct benefit to SMEs”.
The Irish stand at the Research Connection 2009 conference provided a window on Irish R&D capacities and specialist research infrastructures providing visitors with an opportunity to learn more about Ireland as a partner in European research projects and the European Research Area.
Contributors on the stand included leading Irish researchers who are partners in major FP7 projects across the cooperation, capacities and people programmes. Thematic areas included health, food, agriculture, fisheries and biotechnology, NMP, space, energy, environment, MarieCurie and research infrastructures.
As an island nation, there was a major marine focus to some of the projects represented. According to Geoffrey O’Sullivan, International Cooperation Programme Manager at Irish Marine Institute “Ireland has jurisdiction over a marine territory of some 900,000 sq km – some nine times its landmass, such that Ireland is 90% undiscovered, undeveloped and underwater and in fact more than half of Europe is underwater. As such, it is critical to ensure the sustainable and innovative development of this very substantial European marine resource”
According to Sean Burke, Ireland’s National Delegate / National Contact Point for research for the benefit of SMEs, who addressed a delegation of researchers and companies, “SME's are the economic lifeblood of Europe. In this context, the FP7 programme "Research for the benefit of SMEs" has strong relevance in enhancing Irish SMEs innovativeness in business. With clear problem definition, research objectives and a strong business exploitation path, this scheme is of direct benefit to SMEs”.