Professor Diarmuid Hegarty:

I want to come in on that. Professor Donnelly is striking a chord that I have experienced in another area. I am trying to raise funds all the time for a charity which runs the Veronica Dunne International Singing Competition. To be successful in my fundraising, I have to give some meaning and somehow have the funder positively identify with the work of the charity. It is the same for research, if we can establish links between the research function and industry. It does not just mean applied research. Deputy Clarke referred earlier to trying to get people to see solutions to problems. The person I want who is going to see solutions to problems is somebody who can think in a completely open way. I think a researcher gets that. If we can somehow have the research functions sold to industry and have people move between positions in industry and research, we will find that it will address some of the problem the Deputy is talking about. It will also attract people because they will see themselves as having an opportunity, not just in research, but, on the point Professor Donnelly made, it is a big world and there is plenty of opportunity. More co-operation between research departments and industry would help in that regard.

Forgive me for being longwinded.