Georgia Tech Athlone boost for Irish R&D

The US science and technology university Georgia Tech is to establish a research institute in Athlone, Ireland, in a move that was today greeted by the government and the medical technology industry as a "major boost to R&D in Ireland". "This will help establish Ireland as a top location for world class R&D," said Siobhan Masterson, R&D executive at the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC). The confederation has also renewed calls for the government to publish the National Science, Technology and Innovation Strategic Plan. "As part of the national strategy, business expenditure on R&D must double to 1.7% of GNP by 2013," argues IBEC. Industry investment totalled E1.15bn [$1.37bn] in 2004, up from E988m in 2002, it says.