Innovation Union Scoreboard 2015
Ireland's overall innovation performance is above the EU average and is ranked eighth out of 28, placing Ireland in the second tier of countries, designated the “Innovation Followers". This is the second year in a row in which Ireland's ranking has improved: up from ninth in 2014 and tenth in 2013.

Based on the average innovation performance, Member States fall into four different performance groups:

Denmark, Finland, Germany and Sweden are “Innovation leaders" with innovation performance well above that of the EU average—Sweden tops this ranking;
Austria, Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Slovenia and the UK are “Innovation followers" with innovation performance above or close to that of the EU average;
The performance of Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain is below that of the EU average. These countries are “Moderate innovators”;
Bulgaria, Latvia and Romania are “Modest innovators” with innovation performance well below that of the EU average.

While a direct comparison of Ireland's performance in 2014 and 2015 (actual score, rather than ranking) is not possible due to changes in the measurement framework, an indirect comparison using adjusted data, carried out by the European Commission, indicates that Ireland had the largest increase in overall innovation performance among the western EU states and the fourth largest among the EU28.

Please see link to Innovation Union Scoreboard 2015 Report http://ec.europa.eu/growth/industry/innovation/facts-figures/scoreboards/index_en.htm

Horizon 2020
Horizon 2020 is the current EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. With a budget of nearly €80 billion, Horizon 2020 will run over seven years from 2014—2020. Horizon 2020 is the successor programme to FP7 (Framework Programme 7) and is the largest ever research and innovation programme in the EU. Horizon 2020 has a simpler structure than previous programmes with less red tape making is easier to apply.

Horizon 2020 is open to everyone including individual researchers, higher education institutions, research performing organisations and private industry including SMEs.

Enterprise Ireland leads the Irish Horizon 2020 Network consisting of 32 National Contact People and National Delegates from various research and industry agencies and Departments. http://www.horizon2020.ie/who-can-help/

There are also financial supports for those who wish to apply available through Enterprise Ireland http://www.horizon2020.ie/who-can-help/financial-assistance/

Horizon 2020 aims to help achieve smart, sustainable and inclusive growth for Europe by focussing on three main areas:

· Excellent Science
· Industrial Leadership
· Societal Challenges

For more information please visit www.horizon2020.ie

The Government has set an ambitious target for Ireland in Horizon 2020 and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (DJEI) is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of the Horizon 2020 national strategy. DJEI chairs the Horizon 2020 High Level Group whose core role is to oversee the development and implementation of the Horizon 2020 national strategy. The Horizon 2020 HLG consists of members from across Departments and Agencies: Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine; Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources; Department of Education and Skills; Department of Environment, Community and Local Government; Department of Finance; Department of Health; Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport; DIT; Enterprise Ireland; Environmental Protection Agency; Health Research Board; Higher Education Authority; IDA Ireland; InterTradeIreland; IOTI; Irish Research Council; Irish Universities Association; Marine Institute; Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU; Science Foundation Ireland; Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and Teagasc.