Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)

Not only is research covered under the education and skills remit but there is also an important function under the enterprise, jobs and innovation remit. Within that substrata there is a specific remit vis-À-vis Science Foundation Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the programme for research in third level institutions, PRTLI. Science Foundation Ireland, SFI, alone has a budget of €160 million for 2011. There is a clear priority. If we are to get people back to work, we must ensure that we maintain the current level of spending within that area in so far as possible so that investment can be maintained. It will thus be possible through SFI, Enterprise Ireland and the research programme to build the synergies with the companies. That is already happening; the model is well established. However, I strongly believe that the Government's job must be to try to grow and deepen that remit and commercialise the research. If we can commercialise the research and continue that model, it will be possible to create more jobs from the third level sector.

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