Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am sorry. I was probably speaking quickly. I am in a rush to get to a function, so I apologise. I will provide the written response.

I will clarify points on the new strategy. It is not being rushed. The strategy is not finished yet. The initial call for submissions was meant to focus people's minds. The strategy was being discussed long before I took up office eight months ago. It is not as if this has come as a surprise to anyone. We called for submissions in January and the strategy has been discussed at every opportunity I have had since last May. Everywhere I went to speak to researchers, I told them that this was going to happen at some stage. More than 77 submissions were received. I have them and my Department and I are working through them. An interagency group is also working on them. The strategy will not be published until the summer. There will be further opportunities for discussion and consultation because we want to get this right.

I received the letter that was signed by more than 800 researchers. I meet many of them in my daily work when announcing money and I am working with them. We will tease through this. The new strategy needs to get the balance right and focus minds. The Government introduced the prioritisation agenda in 2012 to get the best bang for our buck in a country that needs job creation. We have tried to focus minds in the community through the competitive part of the research fund rather than all of it in areas of excellence to ensure that we develop new ideas, processes and solutions while creating jobs.

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