A new North-South Research Programme has been awarded €40 million in funding as part of the Shared Island Fund.
Individual researchers and research teams from both sides of the border can apply for a portion of the funding.
This is the single largest allocation from the €500 million fund, which was created to invest in cross-border projects in support of the objectives of the Good Friday Agreement.
The Shared Island Fund, which was announced as part of Budget 2021, provides capital funding for collaborative north-south projects.
In the first year, research projects may receive up to €100,000 per annum for up to two years, while projects in subsequent years may receive as much as €1 million per annum for up to four years, with Northern Irish partners receiving a maximum of 50 per cent of any award.
In a press statement, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said: “All-island research co-operation is one of my Government’s top priorities and the allocation of €40m from the Shared Island Fund to the new North-South Research Programme sends a clear signal of our commitment to foster new North-South research collaborations.”
“I have always been a strong supporter of comprehensive and well-funded research programmes – it’s an investment in knowledge and skills, but more importantly, it’s an investment in the future of this island.”
“This is a very exciting opportunity”, he said. “The programme will bring individual researchers, research teams and third level institutions North and South together, collaborating across a range of areas and work programmes.”
“This work will build on the cooperation which already exists and will broaden and deepen relationships between the partner institutions.”
Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris said the funding was “a really exciting opportunity for an all-Island approach to research and innovation”.
“We can achieve so much when we work together and it is vitally important we work together to face the great challenges we are facing as a country and a world”, he added in a press statement.
“This funding will support individual researchers based in an Irish higher education institution (HEI) to collaborate with a researcher in a HEI in Northern Ireland on an identified research project, or research teams to collaborate on an agreed work programme.”
The first round of applications for research funding will open before the end of this year.
