157. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the estimated cost of increasing the disruptive technology fund by 5%, 10%, 20%, 25% and 50%, in tabular form. [50042/26]

The Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) is one of four National Development Plan (NDP) 2018–2027 funds under Project Ireland 2040. It provides support for co-funded, collaborative projects focused on the development and commercial deployment of disruptive technologies that address national and global challenges. The Fund is managed by my Department and administered by Enterprise Ireland.

The cost of increasing the original NDP allocation of €500 million for DTIF by the percentages referenced is set out in the table below.

A total of €500 million was originally committed to the DTIF over the lifetime of the NDP, from 2018-2027. To date, across the first seven Calls, €530 million in funding has been approved towards 131 projects.

However, the Deputy should note that the expenditure outturn for each Call is usually less than the amount approved, due to factors such as project cancellations, ineligible costs, and underspends by consortium partners.

The funded projects to date involve collaborative partnerships between industry – particularly SMEs – and public research bodies, undertaking industrial research and/or experimental development across the revised Research Priority Area themes, including Health and Wellbeing, Energy and Climate Action, Food, ICT/AI, Advanced and Smart Manufacturing, and Life Sciences.

In early June this year, I announced that a further €40 million will be made available under an eighth DTIF Call, which will open for applications on 1 October and close at the end of January 2027.