Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I will return to the issue of research and development and direct expenditure by universities, grants or whatever else, as opposed to research and development tax relief. Would our guests accept that it is going to a relatively small number of private corporations? Do they know what the comparison is between how much is going in direct expenditure as against the approximately €700 million in tax credits, an amount which has risen dramatically in the past while? That is the thing at which we have to look. Which is getting better results for us? How much is going in tax relief to a relatively small group as against how much is going in direct expenditure and what is it giving us? Which would be better and how would the money be better spent? It is a choice between whether we should give more in tax relief and direct expenditure.