Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

It is important that the Deputy not be dismissive of people publishing or apply a crass commercial paradigm. We need both components. We need more publications from academics and more commercially relevant research from the third level sector. It is not a question of one or the other, but this discussion is a simplification of what is being done in terms of research and development. We need cutting edge research from universities as well as more commercialisation.

The results of the trebling of spending on research and development in recent years have been good. Since 2005, there has been a trebling of the number of new patents and invention disclosures and a doubling of the number of spin-out companies from the third level sector. I am not saying this to be complacent. We have a good track record, but we need to up the ante. Deputy Clune's remarks reflect the word coming to us from the enterprise sector via our enterprise feedback group and our innovation task force. We need to squeeze more from less in the years ahead.

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