Fine Gael has called on the Taoiseach to establish a Dáil committee specifically dedicated to science and technology.
Front bench spokesman Denis Naughten said the committee would act as a forum to bring facts on scientific developments into the public domain and to improve its perception as a career option.
"While science and technology are playing an ever increasing role in our lives, be it at home, work or in our leisure activities, there still remains a poor public awareness of science and the opportunities it presents," Mr Naughten said.
"There is also an innate fear within the public mind of new technology, which is best highlighted by the current debate on biotechnology and genetic engineering."
Mr Naughten said that as the Taoiseach has not yet established the Dáil committees, now was "an ideal opportunity" to set up such a forum.
"It is also imperative that we increase the public profile of this important sector of the economy as, year on year, we see worrying trends in the key areas of mathematics, chemistry and physics at Leaving Certificate leve," he said.
"The problems with maths and science at second-level are having negative ramifications higher up the education chain in third-level and on into employment, yet the Government has failed to implement a recommendation on establishing a scientific committee which was made a number of years ago by an All-Party Oireachtas committee. Similar committees are already in place in many other EU countries including the UK."