Research and Development Budget: 2020 to 2021
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From: Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
- Published on: 16 December 2021
- Last updated on: 20 April 2023
What the Research and Development Budget report shows
'Research and Development Budget: 2020 to 2021 - Government Budget Allocations for Research and Development (R & D)' provides details of government-funded research programmes and highlights the extent and variety of R & D being carried out in Ireland.
The report also brings together the latest data on business, higher education and government agencies’ spending on R & D in the country.
The data in the report is compiled from a comprehensive survey of forty-five government departments and agencies that are active in R & D, either through investment or active research.
Key findings of the report
Government spending on R & D
The report shows that the government spent nearly €867 million on R & D in 2020. This was over 8% more than in 2019.
It also estimates that this government funding will go up by more than 9% in 2021. This would be over €949 million in government R & D spending.
Total R & D spending in 2020
In 2020, total spending on R & D by business, government and higher education was an estimated €4,595 million.
Image: Total R & D spending in 2020
Total spending as a percentage of the economy
| Percentage of GDP | Percentage of GNP | Percentage of GNI* | EU average |
| 1.2% | 1.6% | 2.2% | 2.3% |
R & D spending by the sectors performing it
The biggest spending on R & D continues to be in the business sector. Business spent an estimated €3,400 million, or almost 74% of the total spending. Nearly 20,000 people were employed by business to do this research.
Image: Who paid for R & D in 2020?
Higher education spent over €1,000 million on R & D, and employed over 11,000 people to carry it out.
Government agencies spent €165 million, and employed over 1,000 people.
Image: Government R & D spending - 2019, 2020 and 2021
Funding of R & D in 2020
The government R & D budget paid for over €800 million of R & D. Non-government funding, including from business and the EU, funded €3,700 million.
