IRCSET announces EUR10.8m funding
08-05-2008
by Billy MacInnes

A scheme providing research funding to postgraduates in science, engineering and technology has announced that 150 candidates have received EUR10.8 million in funding.

The Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology (IRCSET) revealed the figures on Thursday, two months after it announced the availability of EUR11.8 million in research funding.

The figures are down on those for last year when IRCSET announced EUR12.9 million funding for 180 researchers at the end of March 2007. In May 2006, there were 162 researchers provided with funding from a EUR10.8 million pot.

According to IRCSET, its programmes are aimed at knowledge creation within Ireland for the future benefit of society and the economy. A spokeswoman told ENN the funding was aimed at helping in the pursuit of research excellence by individuals and normally attracted the "absolutely top people".

IRCSET claims to have provided in excess of EUR60 million to support the career formation of over 1,000 researchers in Ireland since its inception in 2002.

Of the 150 candidates this time around, 38 are based in engineering, 11 in computer science and the bulk of the remainder taken up by sciences. As many as 135 are based in the EU.

In a statement, Professor Jane Grimson, chair of IRCSET, said the quality of applicants had been extremely high. IRCSET was "committed to fully developing and supporting Ireland's brightest and best researchers" to sustaining the growth of Ireland's social and economic well being.

"If we are to ensure that we do not lose out to other international research centres, we must retain the talent and creativity of Ireland's research community," she added.

IRCSET also operates an Enterprise Partnership Scheme that co-funds researchers in co-operation with leading industry partners.

IRCSET is funded under the National Development Plan and operates research funding initiatives which support researchers in their early stage career formation across Masters, Doctoral and Postdoctoral levels in the sciences, engineering and technology.