Northern Ireland is being starved of investment in scientific research, a leading academic warned tonight.
Dr Peter Cotgreave, director of Save British Science, said public spending on science in the province was lagged far behind levels in the rest of the UK and the Irish Republic.
Dr Cotgreave, delivering a lecture at the University of Ulster at Coleraine, said per capita investment was £75 in England, £88 in Scotland but just £29 in Northern Ireland.
But he stressed the poor level of funding had not affected the quality of scientific work carried out.
"For its size, Northern Ireland has a strong scientific base, with research of the highest quality across a range of subjects and its universities have been particularly effective in seizing the opportunity to work with industry," he said.
But he added: "Just think what could be done with funding that gave Northern Ireland parity with England, let alone Scotland."
PA