THE GOVERNMENT remains fully committed to ongoing State investment in scientific research, Taoiseach Brian Cowen has said.
Speaking at an event celebrating the 10th anniversary of research funding body Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), he said research and development would contribute directly to Ireland’s economic recovery. The smart economy and positioning Ireland as the “innovation hub” of Europe were key themes in a speech delivered by Mr Cowen yesterday at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Government support for State research investment was emphasised by additional presentations by both Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation Batt O’Keeffe and Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation Conor Lenihan.
The Taoiseach talked about the economic difficulties, and said the Government remained committed to reducing the deficit.
“We are now preparing a four-year plan which will be published in November, setting out the measures necessary to ensure that we meet our target of bringing our deficit below 3 per cent of GDP by 2014,” he said.
This alone, however, would not be sufficient to ensure “a clear path to recovery”, he said.
“The link between innovation and economic growth is undisputed,” he told the gathering of almost 200 scientists and representatives of high-tech businesses.
Although Ireland’s economic circumstances had varied over the past decade, “our belief in the value of investment in science, technology and innovation has not changed”. The Government had not changed plans to invest €2.4 billion in research by 2020.
In 2008, the Government set out its plans for a smart economy and the goal of making Ireland an innovation hub where international firms could conduct research.
“An essential part of this is that Ireland must become a driver of research and innovation – we have to become a dynamic location for the generation of ideas,” Mr Cowen said.
He praised the foundation for its contribution to these aims. “The establishment of SFI has greatly enhanced Ireland’s reputation as a place where quality research is done.”
In his address, Mr O’Keeffe said science was now “fully integrated into the Government’s legislative and policy agenda”. The idea that Ireland could compete against the world’s advanced scientific nations “was merely an aspiration a decade ago”, he said. “Today, Ireland is recognised as among the leading research forces in immunology, nanotechnology and other areas with the strong help of Science Foundation Ireland.”
The foundation helped foster links with companies, something that produced wealth and jobs, Mr O’Keeffe said.
At the end of last year, foundation-funded researchers were working with 389 firms, supporting 3,225 scientists and involved in 601 collaborations, he said.