The Research Infrastructure and Talent Development Fund is critical for restoring Ireland’s competitiveness in research and innovation, particularly against key European and global competitors. Ireland is falling behind in innovation performance.
Between 2016 and 2023, Ireland’s innovation growth lagged at just 2.3%, well below the EU average of 8.5%, putting the Impact 2030 goal of becoming a European Innovation Leader at serious risk. This underscores the widening gap between Ireland’s innovation ambitions and its current performance, highlighting the urgent need for strategic investment to reverse the trend and achieve its leadership goals.