Our Work

Our Work

The Advisory Science Council provides its advice to Government through the Inter-Departmental Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation.  The Council’s work programme is agreed in consultation with the IDC and takes into consideration any specific requests from Government.

In preparing advice the Advisory Science Council considers the:

  • All-island, European and international context, including the EU’s Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development (RTD)
  • Need to contribute to the greater social awareness, understanding and appreciation of science
  • Need to support efforts to enhance North-South cooperation on STI

The Council strives to develop a small number of quality and focused reports with innovative, pragmatic and implementable recommendations.  It achieves this through specialised Council Task Forces which include non-Council experts who provide valuable talent and inputs

Work Programme

The Council is currently working on the following priority areas to contribute to its goals:

Industrial Absorptive Capacity

The Advisory Science Council has established a Task Force to carry out a study of best international practice of aligning output with demand in the context of Ireland’s goal of doubling PhD numbers by 2013 and ensuring that Ireland can successfully utilise this capacity across the innovation system.

Maximising the Environment for Company R&D

A key determinant of Ireland’s future economic well-being will be its success in stimulating business to do more research and development (R&D). R&D performed by business results in new goods and services, in higher quality of output and in new production processes.  The Advisory Science Council is currently working on a study of the environment of company R&D and which will make recommendations to improve this environment for businesses in Ireland.