Head of new research body expected to be named shortly

Protracted negotiations with applicants have caused delays in appointing the head of the new research body, Science Foundation Ireland. The post is now expected to be filled before the end of the month, according to Forfas, which is overseeing the selection process.

Forfas has been looking since last year for a high-profile, internationally known researcher to head the new foundation which will direct £500 million in science spending over the next five years. Funding will be given for information technology and biotechnology research.

The post is for "director general" of the foundation, stated Mr Conor O'Carroll of Forfas. "It is going to happen very soon. It is getting the negotiations right."

The appointment was expected before the end of 2000 and then early this year. A board must also be named for the body and until these posts are filled the Forfas board and chief executive, Mr John Travers, will perform these roles.

The selection process was "not a simple thing" Mr O'Carroll said, because the person was being hired on a contract basis. "This a contract. If it doesn't work out they get dumped and have to find a new job."

Equal care had gone into the selection of the first research initiatives to be funded by the new foundation, Mr O'Carroll said. Two assessment committees had selected projects for funding in February and these were approved by the Forfas board on February 20th, he said. These announcements, too, had been expected at least two months ago.

Members of the research community here were generally aware of who had been successful but no formal announcement had yet been made until "site visits" could be made to confirm research facilities. Forfas had to confirm that the claims made on proposals actually stood up to scrutiny, he said.

"We cannot go out and make public announcements until we have contracts signed," Mr O'Carroll said. "We are planning to have the thing wrapped up by the end of the month."

Delays in making the announcements had nothing to do with the need by the Department of Finance to divert funding into day-to-day spending and away from National Development Plan projects such as the foundation, according to a source in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, which is responsible for the research scheme.

The foundation is expected to announce funding for an initial 10 projects, five in each of the key research areas.