Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 25 January 2018

Public Accounts Committee

Business of Committee

9:00 am

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I support what has been said. We have also raised this matter as it has come up repeatedly and as we have seen spin-off companies. In our ignorance we have learned. We tried to ask questions on the commercialisation of intellectual property. Deputy Cullinane has said that he has nothing against that. Personally, at this point I would like an absolute explanation for the ordinary person as to what we are talking about before I express an opinion on whether it is good, bad or indifferent. What is the commercialisation of intellectual property? What is there back from that process for the public institution that is funded with public funds? What is the process and who is pushing it? What is the return from that process? We are still in an era where asking questions about institutions is frowned upon.

Lately the Kerry babies tribunal's findings have been in the spotlight. This is relevant to this matter because it was never discussed in the Dáil. The report into that case was never discussed in the Dáil in the 1980s. We are now in the 21st century and have moved to a point where we actually discuss things but it is considered taboo to talk about this matter of intellectual property. There is an attitude of "we know best" and "they are anti commercialisation of intellectual property", with no questions allowed. Nothing has changed since the Kerry babies tribunal, just the subject. The subject in this case is the commercialisation of intellectual property and spin-off companies, about which we should not ask questions. We had the seven magnificent men in to the committee from the seven institutions all with varying opinions but with the same theme of "we know best". There is absolutely no openness and accountability around what percentage the university was getting back and so on.

I thank the Chairman for sticking with this. We might have slightly different opinions on it but the issue for the Committee of Public Accounts is value for money. Based on what has come before the committee I cannot say that we are getting value for money. I cannot stand over it without coming back and looking at the situation. It is public property and public universities that are funded with public money. The president of NUI Galway retired lately and his parting shot was twofold. One was on gender and the second was that he thought third-level fees should be doubled. He was one of seven people who were reluctant to answer questions on what money was being made from intellectual property. This is a source of return for the university so more people can participate in third-level education and so we do not need to charge fees. It is hugely significant but the first issue is to break the taboo around what the process is and ask what is there for the ordinary people, the citizens and residents of the State.

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