Mr. Jim Miley:

I will make a couple of points on research. Our investment in research is way below what it needs to be. We are a high skills economy. Look at how during Covid our tax base has held up remarkably well principally from the high skills sector that are fostered by the higher education sector which is the talent and innovation base for those. It is a real case study for how valuable our sector is to the economic growth of the country. Countries such as Denmark, Estonia or Finland spend around double what we spend on research. At the weekend the chief executive of the American Chamber of Commerce said we need to double our investment. Do not listen to our voice, listen to the voice of industry, whether it is IBEC, the American Chamber of Commerce, the British Irish Chamber. They will all say this. Industry is also prepared to step up and spend there.

We also need to look at how research advisory to the Government is framed. In our detailed submission to the committee, we have proposed that a research advisory council be set up. It is important that there be an independent advisory council to the Government. When we say research, we do not just mean science but the wider aspects of research including all the humanities and the creative industries as well, if you want to call them that.