Ireland has developed a leading life sciences innovation ecosystem

With support from Science Foundation Ireland, the third-level system, and the R&D Tax Credit, Ireland has developed a leading-edge life sciences innovation ecosystem over the past 25 years. How important is it for the country to have high-value life sciences R&D carried out here?

Ireland punches above its weight internationally in terms of research and development (R&D) output, says Dr Ciarán Seoighe, deputy director general, Science Foundation Ireland.

“Ireland has one of the most efficient systems in terms of research, development and innovation (RD&I) in the OECD, which means that for every euro invested by the Irish taxpayer we are getting more back than most countries in terms of talent development, new knowledge, scientific publications, innovation, spin-outs, licences, etc,” he adds.

“While we have been more serious about investing in R&D in Ireland over the last two decades we are still catching up in terms of our R&D when compared to other advanced economies. Many comparator European countries and advanced economies have had a considerably longer lead-in to their investment in RD&I than Ireland.

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“Science Foundation Ireland, in particular, has only existed for 20 years formally. In those 20 years, we’ve been working very hard to catch up and invest and support the scientific research in Ireland that many other countries have been doing since post-World War Two.”

A significant number of the world’s largest ICT and biopharmaceutical organisations are based in Ireland, says Seoighe, organisations which need a constant pipeline of talent, skills and knowledge, he points out.

“We need to keep that pipeline filled,” adds Seoighe. “It’s also important that Ireland is seen as a location not just for the development part of R&D, but also as a source of new knowledge to fuel the high-value research arms of major organisations.

“We want to see Ireland continually moving up the value chain, supporting breakthrough discoveries and high-value innovations. That means having both world-class researchers in our third-level ecosystem and the highly skilled talent they will develop.”

For Ireland to compete on an international stage, it is vital that we “put our best foot forward”, says Derek Collins, director of industry engagement and collaboration, Huawei Ireland Research Centre.

“We are a small country with limited resources and hopefully the new Taighde Éireann-Research Ireland programme will highlight and demonstrate our uniqueness and our key talent,” he adds.

“It is so important that we show off our top innovators to attract international investment, especially in international partnerships like the Science Foundation Ireland’s international alliance with the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health in the USA.

“These, and our links with partners such as UK Research and Innovation and the Royal Society in the UK, help bolster multi-country partnerships and encourage institutes to work together – but, most importantly, they are a key platform to attract internationally renowned scientists and researchers.”

Collins is optimistic that current developments “will not only solidify but also significantly enhance Ireland’s standing as a pre-eminent location for research and development” and showcase its commitment to innovation on the global stage.