Last week saw the announcement of the prestigious European Research Council grants in recognition of basic research and applied research across Europe. Unfortunately for a country that has punched above its weight in previous years, on this occasion, Ireland received only one of more than 400 such grants awarded. This is often seen as a barometer of the domestic system. It is no surprise. This is the inevitable outcome of the deliberate sidelining of basic research over the last decade, since the Government took office and the Fine Gael-Labour Party Government changed the law in 2012. People such as Professor Brian MacCraith of the Irish Universities Association have been to the fore, saying that the research sector is now in crisis. Basic research, primary research and early stage research need attention. The funding profile needs to be rebalanced. If not, we will not have the downstream research following on. Is the Taoiseach aware of these issues? If he is, what action does the Government propose to take?

It is incorrect to say that Ireland's research is in crisis. It is anything but in crisis. In research and innovation last year alone, between private and Government investment, there was approximately €3.7 billion, €700 million more than what was given previously. As the Deputy is aware, most of our funding comes from Horizon 2020. We have taken in €700 million in funding from it. Our funding for research in industry is one of the highest rates in Europe, in proportion to population. I believe that, within the next months, we will have reached nearly €1 billion. Our 17 dedicated research centres are recognised across the world as being some of the best. Ireland is in the top ten for science research. One of our top research groups is in Tyndall National Institute in Cork. The Government has invested €70 million in it and it is now number one in the world for nanotechnology research.

I will come back to the Deputy on the European research grant. I am not aware of the reason we did not compete more successfully. However, Ireland is way above average in terms of being competitive in research and our funding in that regard is among the best in Europe.