Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 13:

In page 7, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following:
“Cost benefit analysis of changes to Science Foundation Ireland
11. The Minister shall within 12 months from the passing of this Act prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on a cost benefit analysis of the measures provided for by this Act, setting out the costs incurred, and the benefits in terms of job creation or otherwise.”.

Given that there are so many changes to the way SFI is working - this goes back to a point I made at the previous meeting about silos and how there is now a need to see from where jobs are coming in respect of all initiatives - this amendment would require SFI to lay a report before Dáil Éireann on the number of jobs being created. It also would make people more aware of the value of SFI and of research in general. While such research does not result in jobs straight away, perhaps projects that were established many years ago are now creating jobs and SFI should be given the opportunity to show the value of research, that is, that it is providing or securing jobs at present that otherwise would not be there. Were it not for research programmes within those facilities, many foreign direct investment jobs that exist today would not exist. There is a need to have a forum for better public understanding of the value of research and this amendment would allow it.