Dáil debates

Wednesday, 11 May 2011

Jobs Initiative 2011: Statements (Resumed)

 

5:00 pm

Photo of Seán SherlockSeán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)

I wish I had more time but am glad to have what I have. Today I attended an event where Johnson & Johnson, a company with a significant presence in this country, had its global management structure meet at Carton House. That company sustains more than 2,000 jobs in this country. Arising from that, Science Foundation Ireland hosted an event which showed how innovative Ireland is. There was a showcase, with more than 30 companies and research functions coming together. There is one clear message that comes across when one talks to people from Johnson & Johnson and other companies of that nature. We must send a signal to them that we want to push out the boundaries on framework programme 7, which sees a target of some €600 million being achieved. We must show that we can look forward, via the European Commissioner, Máire Geoghegan Quinn, and an enhanced relationship with the European Commission, to continuing, in framework 8, to push the boundaries further. We must signal to companies like Johnson & Johnson our commitment to the research and development component and show we are committed to the spend in hitting certain targets that will see us grow jobs in the area. Investments made in recent years are already beginning to pay off.

The initiative launched yesterday is a signalling exercise to companies that have invested in this country. It states we are still very serious about ensuring we can retain them and the right kind of conditions so the companies and researchers we fund will be able to sustain this economy in the long run. During the 1970s we depended on agriculture in terms of inputs from a European Union perspective, while during the 1980s and 1990s it was infrastructure. The next big tranche in sustaining jobs will be on the research, scientific, technological and innovation side. We must continue with this agenda.

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