Towards A New Marine Research & Innovation Strategy

The Marine Institute over a 24 month period (2014-2016) engaged in a process of reviewing marine research performance in Ireland. This was with a view to preparing a new National Marine Research & Innovation Strategy as called for under the Government’s integrated marine plan - Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth.

As part of the Strategy drafting process, a public consultation was undertaken from the period 1 November to 31 December 2016.

The public consultation comprised a Draft Marine Research & Innovation Strategy, Background Analysis Documents and an online survey with ten questions designed to capture stakeholders’ views on the Strategy.

Questions 1-5 were targeted at the overall research maturity assessment and associated analysis of the actions required to raise the research maturity across three dimensions of human capacity, research infrastructures, and networks and relationships. These questions also addressed the funding instruments proposed and the roles and responsibility of the State.

Questions 6-10 were theme specific, addressing each theme’s research maturity and associated proposed focus of funding.

Through the public consultation the Marine Institute received a total of 30 written responses from a range of stakeholders, including individual academics, Higher Education Institutes, industry representative organisations, marine professionals and interested individuals. These responses were reviewed and the Strategy was updated accordingly.

A summary of the consultation process and an overview of the responses received is provided in the report below. This report also outlines how the final published Strategy was amended in light of feedback received. The Summary Report contains, as an Appendix, copies of the submissions received that are available to the public by stakeholder consent.

Download the Summary of Consultation Responses