Enterprise Ireland
Annual Report and Accounts 2007
Annual Report and Accounts 2007
The ultimate intended impact of all Enterprise Ireland initiatives is to create new export sales. Key to all client interventions is the potential export sales to be secured, either immediately or in the future.
During 2005–2007 the strategic target was to reach €3 billion in new export sales and all elements of the organisation focused on contributing to its achievement. An integrated global team approach drove progress towards the successful attainment of the three-year target in what were increasingly more difficult international trading conditions. The 2007 figure of €1.445 billion in new export sales contributed to an exceptional overall total export sales figure of €13.181 billion.
Due to clients taking up the research and innovation agenda driven forward by Enterprise Ireland, there were significant achievements against two further strategic targets in 2007, which were related to increasing the number of Irish companies engaged in research and development (R&D).
In 2005 we set out to increase the number of companies carrying out meaningful R&D (€100,000+ investment per annum) to 617 and to increase the number of companies engaged in significant R&D (€2+ million investment per annum) to 42. In 2007, 624 companies each invested over €100,000 in meaningful R&D and 42 invested over €2 million in significant R&D projects.
The Enterprise Ireland initiatives that ensured this successful strategic outcome focused on clients increasing their own in-company R&D investment, on driving industry-led research and on maximising the commercial potential of publicly-funded research. This work also included facilitating collaboration between companies and academia and on supporting R&D in Irish third-level institutions.
In 2007, we approved €59.6 million in support of in-company R&D projects.
