John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In the context of the Deputy's first question, what he says is correct regarding researchers and developers overseas. However, based on the amount of money we put into research and development in Ireland, it is fair to say that we have outstanding research centres - 17 in total. We had the ability and funding to open three research centres last year, within a very tight fiscal space, bringing the number up from 14 to 17. A number of our research centres in universities, institutes of technology, multinationals and FDI companies are regarded as some of the best in the world.

On the Deputy's second question, I can inform him that the Minister and I are making a case. I have grave difficulty with funding from year to year and I would prefer set-down projects based over a period of years whereby we would know where we to invest the money and would have the money to do it across the five-year cycle. I assure the Deputy that the Minister and I are making a case within the Department.

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