Ireland, as a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, will now be governed by recently passed guidelines regarding E-commmece and the protection of consumers. The guidelines say that consumers should be no less protected while shopping online then they are in bricks and mortar outlets or when shopping from catalogues.

The OECD emphasized that consumer confidence was crucial to the success of e-commerce and online retailers should take particular care to follow the new Guidelines for Consumer Protection in the Context of Electronic Commerce.

The guidelines call for fair practice in business, marketing and advertising and clarity of information on the identity of Internet retailers, the products they sell and the terms and conditions they offer. The OECD also recommends that online retailers guarantee secure methods of payment, fair and timely means of resolving and redressing consumer problems, privacy protection and the education of consumers.

OECD governments and business to consumer organizations took 18 months to formulate the
guidelines. They apply only to B2C transactions and not to B2C dealings.¹¹
 
 

Major Government Sponsored/Financed R&D Initiatives and Programs:

• The Research Technology & Innovation Initiative was launched by the Minister for Science Technology & Commerce, Mr. Noel Treacy TD in November 1997.  Funding of 39 million EURO (£28 million approximately) was originally allocated to this Initiative with subsequent top-up funding of 8.55 million EURO (£6.7 approximately) The Research Technology and Innovation Initiative (RTI) is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the Operational Program for Industry 1994-1999.

 

 
 
 
 
 

The main objective is to bring about a substantial net increase in the level of high quality research and development in businesses in Ireland and to ensure an integrated and unified approach to research related activities. The Initiative will cover:
 

• industry research and development
• process development and innovation
• technology acquisition where it is supporting part of the foregoing


In particular, the new Initiative while having Research & Development as its core, is being broadened to cover the wider innovative and technological aspects of company development.

The new Initiative will aim to:
 

• Increase the number of companies performing Research, Technology and Innovation (RT.) for the first time;
• Increase the number of companies undertaking significant Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) on an
          ongoing basis and establishing permanent RTI Departments;
• Increase the additional RTI activity at company level;
• Enable firms acting in consortia (or joint ventures with firms in other countries) to undertake large scale strategic projects which would be beyond the capability of a firm acting on its own;
• Encourage the development of international linkages by allowing firms greater access to collaborative R&D activities such as the EUREKA Program;

encourage a continuing commitment to innovation in firms by improving the cost competitiveness and business performance of individual companies, particularly SMEs, through innovative improvements in production and processes.

Manufacturing activities      10%

Other corporations            38% (30% first £50,000 [$64,000])

Owner/partner/non corporation 48%

* Taxed at the individual rate

In addition to the incentive for manufacturing of a reduced tax of 10 percent, the government offers other tax programs to foster business development and job creation. Individuals investing in certain manufacturing and tourist related activities can obtain tax relief under the Relief for Investment in Corporate Trades.

Additional tax benefits are available for investment in basic research and development (R&D) companies that qualify under the specific rules established to encourage high tech R&D activity. Still other tax schemes encourage urban renewal and development. Designated areas in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Tralee, and other cities have been established for such tax incentives. One example of a favorable tax incentive area is the International Financial Services Centre in Dublin, which has a 10 percent corporate tax rate as well as capital allowances on plant and machinery. For this specific project, qualifying firms must carry on banking, insurance, or other international financial services in the designated area.

Taken from Irish Trade Web²⁰
 
 

Research & Development Centers in Ireland

Ireland offer businesses many opportunities to secure research and development funds.  These funds cover all aspects of business growth and come from many sources.  The most prominent providers of R&D funds are listed and described below:

Office of Science and Technology
    Shannon Development - Among others initiative, the Shannon Development is responsible for  the management and development of the National Technological Park at Plassey, and promotion of the Eurotechnopole Centre there for Japanese investment.

    The Irish Innovation Relay Centre - The Irish Innovation Relay Centre is one of a network of 32 proactive advisory centres located throughout the EU and EFTA countries. The objective of the Centre is to encourage Irish Companies and organizations to participate in the EU funded Research and Technological development (RTD) programs. The Centre is also involved in the promotion and dissemination of successful results emanating from these programs.

        The services offered by The Value Relay Centre include:
              Results Dissemination and Exploitation -
                   Interpretation and dissemination of research results
                   Guidance on intellectual property, sources of funding, financial support schemes and licensing
                   Company visits, seminars, workshops

              Information provision
                   Dates and deadlines of calls for proposals
                   Text of calls for proposals
                   Eligibility and project application details
                   CORDIS searches and information

              Proactive Client Services
                   Industrial partner search
                   Identification of opportunities in RTD programs
                   Publication of weekly newsletter covering RTD related issues

    National Awareness Partners Network - The National Awareness Partners network is a dedicated network of 29 organizations in 17 countries throughout the European Economic Area. These partners were developed under IMPACT a program of DGXIII/E of the EU aimed at developing the European information services market. There are two NAP's in Ireland: Enterprise Ireland (Dublin) and BTIS (University of Limerick).

              Services offered:

• general awareness seminars to present and explain the basic types of electronic information services available in Europe, e.g., on-line databases, CD-ROM, etc.
• multimedia seminars introducing on-line databases and how to use them,
• specialized workshops demonstrating practical aspects of the successful use of electronic information information on how to benefit from calls for proposals and calls for tender under the EU Fourth Framework Program,
• contact with potential research project partners in other European centres the Enterprise Ireland NAP newsletter which contains details of forthcoming awareness events, calls for proposals and EU publications in the field of electronic information services

BTIS can deliver the facts needed on:
companies (customers, competitors, suppliers)
technical standards, specifications and patents
potential customers
technical and business press
corporate financial data
product information
information on markets
recent business developments and innovations
EU legislation and policies relating to 1992

BTIS addresses a wide range of information needs, using the university library and over 4000 on-line databases, including Dialog-Data Star, ECHO, Eurobases, STN, and CD-ROM databases, as well as searching via the internet.
 

            European Business and Innovation Centres (EBICS)

              The European Business and Innovation Centres were launched in 1984 by the EU to
              support SME start-ups and development and to enhance innovation and
              entrepreneurial skills through a full range of services. The European Business and
              Innovation Centre network (EBN), the umbrella association of the EBICs now
              consists of over ~00 centres throughout Europe. Seven of these are located in
              Ireland. Their services include:

                   promotion of entrepreneurship and detection of innovative projects
                   evaluation and selection of entrepreneurs and projects in order to identify
                   those which are viable
                   development of managerial skills
                   business plan formulation and strategy
                   innovation and technology assistance
                   marketing aid
                   access to financing
                   project monitoring after its launch
 

OTHER INFO:
Enterprise Ireland is the agency providing state support services to Irish Industry.
              Support is provided across a range of commercial activities, including management,
              product development, finance and a broad range of technological services. Enterprise
              Ireland aims to help indigenous firms to become more competitive and achieve
              growth and to encourage the establishment of more Irish firms.

              Technology and development services are provided through its facilities at Glasnevin
              and Wilton Park House in Dublin and through its network of regional offices.
              Enterprise Ireland is committed to the creation of indigenous industrial sectors
              capable of competing successfully on both domestic and international markets.

              The Technology Transfer Program operated by Enterprise Ireland acts to promote
              the dissemination of new technologies and innovation by integrating national
              innovation infrastructures into a European Network, by promoting projects which are
              of particular demonstration value for innovate technologies by co-ordinating national
              innovation promotion policies, and, in association with this, carrying out innovation
              monitoring.

              Forfás , the Policy Advisory and co-ordinating board for Industrial Development in
              Ireland is an important dissemination source.
 

National Microelectronics Research Centre

              The NMRC was established by the Government in 1981 to provide the infrastructure
              necessary to assist the development of a semiconductor and microelectronics
              industry in Ireland. The center is intended as a resource center, with specialized plant
              and expertise in the field of semiconductor design and fabrication technology.

              Objectives are to:

                   carry out R&D projects for industry
                   provide advanced education and training in the area of microelectronics
                   provide access to silicon technology (design, fabrication and testing) to other
                   third level colleges within the state
                   act as a conduit to both industry and education in Ireland for leading
                   technology in microelectronics.
 

Text of address:    http://www.cordis.lu/ireland/src/speech.htm

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Last update: December 17, 1999 by ED/MM.