John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. As Deputy Calleary said, Fianna Fáil supports the Bill, which extends the remit of Science Foundation Ireland, SFI, so it can fund applied research in addition to its current remit. We have heard this evening about Einstein, Galileo and other historic names from the past, but we need historic names for the future in the area of science and developing new products for the creation of jobs. I do not know much about science. Indeed, when I attended secondary school in Enniscorthy my teacher, the late Mr. Jim Mooney, advised that I should stay away from science for my leaving certificate due to my lack of knowledge. The only thing I learned about was the Bunsen burner. Aside from that, I was a waste of space with regard to science. I took my teacher's advice.

The purpose of the Bill is to extend the remit of Science Foundation Ireland and to achieve the major changes the Minister mentioned in his speech. The Bill provides for a new function to enable SFI to promote and support awareness and understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It is generally recognised that there is a gap between funding for oriented basic research by SFI and the supports from Enterprise Ireland and IDA to companies for applied research opportunities. As the Minister said earlier, the funding that is being put forward will fill the gap and provide better supports to enable ideas generated by Irish research groups to be further developed and commercialised. I also welcome the fact that there will be an interconnection between Northern Ireland and the Republic. That is a good move. It is important that funding and knowledge are shared. If we can bring that about, we could extend it into the UK and, indeed, into the wider European field so scientific knowledge and the advantages that accrue from it can be pooled.

Scientific research in Ireland has come a long way. Over the last 20 years Ireland has become one of the leaders in this area, unlike our position some years ago. In fairness, Governments in the last number of decades have put science and research at the top of the agenda. That was important for developing job opportunities and encouraging multinationals to come to this country. We have seen the success of the pharmaceutical sector and companies such as the Kerry Group in other areas. These companies create huge numbers of jobs as well as being heavily involved in research and development. They have drawn down huge amounts of funding, which is to be welcomed. I hope that will continue into the future.

Two years ago the then Minister, former Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, appointed a high level group to begin work on a five year prioritisation plan for government investment in research and smart jobs. This group put a great deal of time and effort into bringing forward its conclusions. The group proposed 14 areas which it believed could be of major advantage to this country. They include digital platforms, connected health and independent living, medical devices, diagnostics, future networks in communications, therapeutics, food and health, marine, renewable energies, smart grids and smart cities and manufacturing competitiveness. These areas are very important in this country at present. They are also areas where opportunities can be created in the future.

As my party's spokesman on the marine, I have a particular interest in marine renewable energies. There are tremendous opportunities for Ireland in marine renewable energies. Ireland is one of the best locations in the world in terms of marine energy resources. This sector will seek to generate energy technologies for industry from wave, tidal and floating wind devices. Indeed, I read recently that the coast of Kilmore Quay is one of the major areas where wave energy could be generated. That is in Deputy Twomey's area of the county. It is an area that could be developed and expanded. It is also a major fishing port. Obviously if one intends to develop something in this regard it will be necessary to have discussions and dialogue with the interested parties that already operate in the fishing industry there. However, it appears to be an area we could develop and expand to create job opportunities for the future.

Food for health and functional foods is another area. It is essential to address important issues such as disease prevention, healthy aging and improving population health in general. Ireland is currently ranked second in the world in probiotics research. The Minister must put funding into these areas and prioritise them, because there are opportunities there for this country.

The current SFI function is to promote and fund orientated basic research in strategic areas of scientific endeavour that concern the future development and competitiveness of the industry and enterprise of the State. The areas of the SFI's focus since its establishment have been information and communications technology, biotechnology, sustainable energy and energy efficient technologies. It currently supports 3,000 researchers across Ireland's higher education institutions. That is a tremendous position considering where Ireland was 20 years ago. Our universities and institutes of technology are to the forefront in this regard. The south east does not have a university, despite promises by various Governments over the years that a university would be established there. Unfortunately, it did not happen. Universities such as University College Dublin, Trinity College or University College Cork should have spurs from their institutions in regions such as the south east. Indeed, I mentioned to the new Provost of Trinity College, who is a Wexford man, that the college should seriously consider having a spur and that he should pilot it in Wexford and the south-east region initially. The universities could do more to expand their services rather than having all the students congregating in Dublin and other cities. There should be an expansion of their services, as outreach centres, around the country.

I generally welcome the Bill. SFI has done an outstanding job over the years promoting research and development and helping new companies coming into the State as well as established companies. It is important that SMEs are not forgotten about in this context. We sometimes read about all the funding going to pharmaceutical and other major health and food companies but there are small companies in every county that could do with funding for research and development as well. Perhaps instead of giving them money, experts in the scientific research sector could be deployed to work with them to ensure they expand and develop. I wish the Minister of State well with the implementation of the legislation. I hope the funding will be ring-fenced and used for this purpose. He fought valiantly to make sure this money was made available in the budget and I am sure that he will seek more money in next year's budget to ensure all the expert group's recommendations are implemented and to ensure further down the road there will be new jobs and developments in this area.

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