Research Ireland Unveils Ambitious Five-Year Strategy for Innovation

On March 2, 2026, Research Ireland launched its inaugural five-year strategy at the Mansion House in Dublin. Titled Curiosity, Capability, Competitiveness – Charting Ireland’s Research and Innovation Future 2026–2030, the strategy focuses on cultivating a robust research and innovation ecosystem with an emphasis on developing research talent.

Three Pillars of Growth

This strategic framework is built upon three key pillars: Talent, Economy, and Society. Each pillar outlines specific objectives aimed at enhancing Ireland’s research landscape. Under the Talent pillar, Research Ireland aims to deliver 3,500 PhDs and 2,000 postdoctoral fellows. The organization also plans to support 1,000 investigator-led grants and collaborate with higher education institutions and research bodies to ensure a seamless transition of research talent that meets both economic and civic needs.

The Economy pillar includes ongoing support for 14 Research Centres and sets a target of establishing 50 spin-out companies founded by researchers funded by Research Ireland. Additionally, the strategy seeks to increase enterprise co-investment, targeting 36% of co-funding from multinational corporations and 16% from small and medium-sized enterprises.

In the Society pillar, Research Ireland plans to invest €650 million in multidisciplinary research. This investment will foster collaboration with enterprises, non-governmental organizations, national cultural institutions, and the arts and culture sector.

Vision for Impact

During the launch event, Dr. Diarmuid O’Brien, CEO of Research Ireland, articulated a clear ambition for the strategy: “Research Ireland’s new strategy sets out a clear ambition – to support all disciplines towards building an internationally-renowned research and innovation system that delivers real outcomes for people, communities and enterprise.” He further emphasized the importance of strengthening the talent pipeline and fostering greater collaboration driven by innovation.

Dr. O’Brien highlighted the need to transition from being perceived solely as a funding agency to a development agency. He explained, “For Ireland to succeed from a research innovation perspective, we need to build an internationally credible research and innovation capability. That’s not just about funding research, but it’s about how we connect all of that together.” He stressed the necessity of bridging the research and innovation ecosystems to create impactful outcomes.

The focus on nurturing curiosity begins at the primary and secondary education levels. Dr. O’Brien expressed optimism about current efforts to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) through initiatives such as Science Week and programming on national networks. He noted, “We have actually done well in attracting our secondary school students into engineering and science disciplines within the university system.”

Despite these successes, Dr. O’Brien acknowledged the challenge of encouraging undergraduates to pursue PhDs and research careers. He stated, “The real opportunity there is for them to take a step back and recognise that there’s not just a pathway into an academic career. It’s about a pathway into a very broad array of opportunities, including working in industry or public policy environments.”

As Research Ireland embarks on this ambitious strategy, the organization is poised to engage a diverse array of stakeholders across academia, industry, and government. Through these collaborative efforts, the goal remains clear: to establish a more resilient and innovative Ireland that ranks among the best globally.