More than €3.5 million has been awarded to universities, hospitals and health boards for research into a range of health topics including cancer, diabetes and vascular disease.
The awards were announced at a launch in Dublin by the Health Research Board of its report, A Picture of Health, highlighting the latest Irish health research from 54 funded projects.
The results include the development of research by Prof John O'Leary from the Coombe Women's Hospital and TCD into a new fast and effective screening test for cervical cancer. Twenty-three funding awards were given.
The Minister for Health, Mr Martin, announced the awards and introduced the report. "A quick review of the awards highlights their close connection and relevance to key health issues for our population," he said.
The research projects receiving awards and those in the report were good examples of the type of work needed to provide the evidence base to underpin delivery of effective healthcare for the population.
"I am pleased to note the breadth of areas covered, including development of an all-island public health observatory ... This is in keeping with the all-island remit of the Institute of Public Health," the Minister said.
The Government remained committed to the National Health Research Strategy as the way forward for health research in Ireland. His Department was working to see how its implementation could progress in the context of the Health Service Reform programme.
"It is my intention that the establishment of clinician scientist posts is covered as part of the current consultant contract discussions. Whilst I am supportive of the proposals, there are of course details which need to be addressed and it is therefore my intention that these are dealt with in the course of the ongoing contract negotiations," he said.
The awards included funding for a project, led by Ms Mary Fitzsimons, to introduce electronic patient records for epilepsy patients at Beaumont hospital. A research team in UCD led by Dr William Gallagher will receive funds to help detect and treat cancer, complications in diabetes, and viral infections.
Others include a project at NUI Galway on equipment to support research into therapeutic gene delivery as a means of treating vascular diseases.