In the Davenport Hotel, Dublin 2

Good afternoon, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

I am pleased to be here today to announce this latest investment in Irish research and the Irish scientific community. It is particularly gratifying that today’s announcement of investments totaling €4.8 million is a major boost for female science and engineering researchers.

My colleague, Minister Michéal Martin, last year launched the two SFI initiatives under which these funds will be allocated – the SFI Principal Investigator Career Advancement Award and the SFI Institute Development Award.

I should also mention a third initiative - The SFI Junior Scholarship – which was also part of last year’s launch and I know that awards under this initiative will be announced later this year.

All three schemes are aimed at addressing the under-representation of women in Irish science and engineering research.

This is a serious issue. The latest European Commission Women in Science and Technology (WiST) report published in May, shows that despite the increasing number of female university graduates, female participation in scientific research remains low across the EU.

Females represent just 18% of researchers in the private sector and 35% in the public sector.

The fact that women are well represented at undergraduate level in most scientific and technological disciplines in Ireland was mentioned at last years luanch. And at post-graduate level, 50% of science, mathematics and computing PhD places in Ireland are occupied by women. However, this equilibrium is not maintained in the workplace, and higher up the career ladder we find a serious gender imbalance in the scientific research, education and industrial sectors.

This is what is referred to as the “leaky pipeline” – the loss of talented female academic and industrial researchers.

However, the issue is not simply a matter of equality - ensuring that all careers are open to men and women alike - but also one of ensuring that there are sufficient numbers of researchers in science, engineering and technology to support the knowledge-based economy the Government has committed to building.

Over the past ten years, the Government has increased substantially the level of investment in science and technology and through initiatives such as Science Foundation Ireland and the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI), Ireland has begun the process of building a world-class research environment.

Last month, the Government was very pleased to launch the new Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006 to 2013. 

The Strategy clearly demonstrates the Government’s commitment to the creation of a knowledge-based economy, and represents a determined but realistic initiative which, for the first time, demonstrates a coordinated whole of Government approach to science and research. The goal of the ambitious strategy is to position Ireland as a key player in this area on the world stage. 

The Strategy envisages significant increases in public expenditure on research and development over the next eight years, during which we will:

• Double the number of PhD graduates in Ireland;
• Develop a targeted and focused programme of research activity across a range of key sectors of the economy, building on our proven expertise in ICT, pharma and biotech;
• Enhance arrangements for the capture, protection and exploitation of intellectual property;
• Further develop the opportunities for collaboration between industry and academia; as well as
• Create a dynamic environment in which to attract, produce and retain world-class researchers and research projects.

The implementation of the Strategy will create considerable career opportunities in the science and technology sector. Women represent a significant and relatively untapped resource from which many of these additional researchers can be recruited.

The majority of the awards I am announcing today are under The SFI Principal Investigator Career Advancement Award. This is a programme that provides funding to academics who are returning or have returned to research activities following maternity, adoptive, carers or parental leave, it allows individuals to focus on their research activities.

I understand that a total of 46 applications were received in response to the call in 2005.

SFI selected 10 successful applicants following a rigorous international review process and these 10 researchers will receive in total, €4.3 million in funding over a three-year period.

The Principal Investigator Career Advancement Award programme was extremely competitive.

The key criterion in the selection process was scientific excellence and innovation. Applicants were judged at the highest level comparable to the SFI Principal Investigator programme.

It was essential that, prior to taking eligible leave, the applicant had demonstrated a high career trajectory through publication, presentation and other accepted metrics. In addition, since returning from leave, the applicant must have resumed activities towards re-establishing and maintaining the same high trajectory.

The successful proposals are of the highest standard in their respective fields, the applicants are internationally competitive and the research proposed has strategic impact for Ireland.

This programme has raised the profile of female researchers in Ireland, in terms of their own competitiveness but also in terms of the awareness within the research bodies of the quality and importance of these researchers within the research community.

The 10 recipients of the awards are: Dr Geraldine Boylan, UCC; Dr Louise Bradley, TCD; Dr Orina Belton, UCD; Prof. Sylvia Draper, TCD; Dr Debra Laefer, UCD; Dr Trudee Fair, UCD; Prof Anita Maguire, UCC; Dr Frances Heaney, NUIM; Dr Caroline Jeffries, RCSI; Dr Clair Gardiner, TCD.

I would like to wish you all every success with your research. These awards clearly demonstrate that women researchers can compete on the basis of their scientific expertise, knowledge and potential.

The balance of the funding, €503,000, has been awarded under the SFIInstitute Development Award and the successful applicants are University College Cork, Trinity College Dublin and University of Limerick.

The three successful proposals were identified by the review panel as having the potential to significantly change the research culture at their respective institutions and to successfully advance the opportunities of women in research and management in science and engineering.

All three proposals were extremely impressive, realistic, feasible and likely to achieve significant institutional change within the universities.

The funding will enable the universities enhance the participation of women in science and engineering research activities through the establishment of long-term sustainable initiatives.

I believe today’s announcements are a significant step in seeking to address the gender imbalance in the research community.

We want to increase the number of women conducting successful, internationally competitive research. The returns on these investments will include world-class research, positive role models and increased female participation in Irish science and engineering research.

Finally, I would like to thank Science Foundation Ireland for bringing forward this initiative and in particular, SFI Programme Officer Dr Mary Kelly for her work.

ENDS

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