Address by Mr. Noel Treacy, T.D.,Minister for Science, Technology and Commerce,at the Launch of Science Foundation Ireland’s First Call for Proposalsin Forfás, Wilton Park House, Dublin 2,on 27th July, 2000 at 3.30 p.m

I am delighted to be with you all on this special occasion for Ireland. An Tánaiste has already outlined the background to today’s event and how far we have progressed in such a short space of time. The new Research Foundation, to be known as "Science Foundation Ireland: the National Foundation for Excellence in Scientific Research" is now up and running. Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) has been established by us to promote research excellence here in Ireland. It will manage, allocate and disburse £560 Million, for new innovative research projects, out of the Technology Foresight Fund.

The key to the success of Science Foundation Ireland will be the strength of the partnership which it builds with the research community both here in Ireland and abroad. The real objective, through such partnership, is to ensure that Ireland reaps the rewards from this very substantial increase in investment by us, in Government.

I have no doubt that we are at the first stage of an ambitious and exciting time for research that will deliver the type of economic growth which will underpin our future competitiveness, thus making huge contributions to economic sustainability and expansion all over Ireland. Indeed, we would not be here today, if it were not for the advice and expertise given by the research community, both national and international, to Forfás in bringing forward this call for proposals.

In developing an initial strategy, there has been wide consultation. A series of high-level workshops have been held to advise the Foundation on research areas in biotechnology and information communications technologies, as well as peer review and intellectual property issues.

Advisory Panels with international experts in both Biotechnology and ICT’s have been set up to advise on the overall strategy of the Foundation. The Biotechnology Panel is chaired by Prof. Frank Gannon, Director of the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) and the ICT Panel is chaired by Mr. Eoin O’Driscoll, Managing Director, Lucent Technologies. I would like to express our sincere thanks to all of these outstanding people for their commitment and extremely valuable input on both of these panels.

Applicants to the new scheme will be internationally recognised high calibre researchers with a very strong track record. They will have already made an outstanding contribution to basic research at an international level in a research area that is fundamental to the advancement of science in either Biotechnology or Information Communication Technology.

Teams must be established in existing facilities within Universities, Institutes of Technology, and Research Centres in Ireland. They must be working on a research programme within Biotechnology or Information & Communications Technologies.

We know who we are looking for and what is on offer – the question is, how will it be assessed?

Science Foundation Ireland will ensure an evaluation process that is transparent, objective and consistent. The assessment of proposals will be entrusted to the scientific community itself and will be by international peer review. The Science Foundation Board will appoint Biotechnology and ICT Scientific Evaluation Committees, which will be responsible for the evaluation of all proposals.

Science Foundation Ireland has a vital role to play in supporting our future economy. We are taking the initial steps here today and together, in partnership, we can and will make it work for Ireland.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Chairman of the Board of Forfás, Mr. Peter Cassells and the CEO Mr. John Travers and their colleagues, who took the baton following this Government’s decision in March of this year and have shown great tenacity and commitment in bringing us to the point where we can now finally launch the first call for proposals.

As the Tánaiste has mentioned the Implementation Group set up to advise both the Tánaiste and myself on the decisions and arrangements required to ensure the smooth launch of the new Science Foundation have just completed their Report. I look forward to examining the series of advices contained in this Report.

I sincerely thank all of the members of the Implementation Group who along with the staff in our Office of Science and Technology, have all done trojan work in progressing the unique decision of our Government to create a Technology Foresight Fund in March last.

I also thank ICSTI and the Technology Foresight Panels for all of their efforts and recommendations, culminating in today’s historic announcements. Let’s ensure that, together in Partnership, we shape the economy of this Island of Ireland for the decades ahead.