The Government has announced a €104 million investment in scientific research across Ireland.
The funding is being allocated to four Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Research Centres.
They are BiOrbic Bioeconomy SFI Research Centre; FutureNeuro SFI Research Centre for Neurological Diseases; I-Form SFI Research Centre for Advanced Manufacturing; and VistaMilk SFI Research Centre.
An additional €21m has been committed by the centres' industry partners.
Deputy Director General of SFI Dr Ciarán Seoighe said the four centres represent a national research network of 17 host and partner institutions that, to date, has collaborated with over 130 industry partners ranging from SMEs to multinationals, across all regions and in a variety of sectors.
"Research Centres play a vital role in developing and nurturing the next generation of research leaders and innovators, and today’s funding awards will support over 600 researchers at senior researcher, post-doctoral, PhD and MSc levels," Dr Seoighe said.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Patrick O'Donovan described the bioeconomy, agrifood, neurological disease and manufacturing sectors as critically important.
"While significant scientific advances have been made in these areas by Ireland’s research ecosystem, we need to remain vigilant in addressing challenges old and new, and turning these opportunities into real world impacts that people can see and feel," Mr O'Donovan said.
Minister for Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue said his department is committing over €8.7 million in co-funding to the SFI Research Centre programme.
"Supporting VistaMilk SFI Research Centre over the next six years will help drive development and deployment of digital technology to improve the sustainability and competitiveness of dairy production and processing in Ireland," Mr McConalogue said.
