€11m award is largest ERC grant in single year

Ireland has secured significant new funding from European Research Council, marking the end of a successful year for the emerald isle in Horizon 2020 funding.

The EU member state has succeeded in receiving eight Starting Grants covering a range of scientific disciplines, including solar energy, neuroscience, evolutionary biology and disability legislation. Institutions securing funding include Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, Dublin City University and University College Cork. Starting Grants are worth up to €2m over five years.

The latest grouping includes the award of an ERC grant to Dr Eiliónoír Flynn of NUI Galway, the youngest researcher to receive an ERC grant. Flynn received funding for ‘The Voices project’, which will explore the possibility of giving greater opinion to those suffering with intellectual disabilities. The project will assess the possibility of law reform based on the idea of ‘universal legal capacity’ – the opportunity to make a decision and have it respected in law.

The Irish Research Council said grants in social science and humanities were particularly important.