Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

The anti-inflation group is actively engaging with the CSO, the Competition Authority, the National Consumer Agency and the Commission for Energy Regulation with a view to co-ordinating and driving the fight against inflation on an informed basis. The Government is very conscious of the need to control costs to maintain competitiveness. Through the national development plan and our taxation and regulatory policies, the Government is committed to putting in place an environment for enterprise that remains among the most favourable in the world. We have the advantage of still being one of the most competitive small countries in the world.

The national skills strategy is an essential component in achieving the full transformation of the Irish economy into one of the world's most dynamic, knowledge-based economies. The skills strategy is set against a background of an education and training system which has served Ireland very well. This system has played a key role in attracting and retaining foreign direct investment and ensuring we have the ability to meet the skills needs of enterprises. The strategy will help us to target specific skills and sectors that will become increasingly important in the next few years. It will allow us to address gaps in our skills base. It will help us to build an education and training system that will allow us to quickly adapt and respond to the changing global business environment.

The Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006-2013, SSTI, is a key mechanism for addressing the challenges facing Ireland across the research spectrum. It embodies our sustained commitment to the research agenda and the importance of successfully managing the transition to a knowledge economy. The SSTI represents a major ramping up of Ireland's commitment to the knowledge economy and our engagement with it. As we all know, global competition has increased the pressure on quality, efficiency, productivity and innovation.

The SSTI will shape the future of Irish research and enterprise policy, building on our known strengths in the high-tech sectors, such as ICT, bio-pharmaceuticals and medical devices, to ensure quality employment and social advancement. The SSTI is clear about the types and levels of support that must be given to the most significant drivers of our economic well being, namely, manufacturing and internationally-traded services firms. While different challenges face enterprises in both sectors, our development agencies are committed to bringing about a transformational change to company attitudes to research and development and to grow business expenditure on research and development to €2.5 billion by 2013.

As we become more innovation-intensive on the basis of a clear market and customer focus, we develop products and services that are better able to withstand purely cost-based competitive pressures. Developing successful entrepreneurs and world-class enterprises are essential ingredients in any economy based on innovation.

See this speech in context