James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach will be aware it is Science Week. I acknowledge that the Minister of State, Deputy Halligan, put on a cross-party event this morning and has more planned for during the week. I will return to a question I asked about funding this time last year at the start of Science Week. The Taoiseach will be aware that Horizon 2020 and the programme for Government committed to spending 2.5% of GDP on research and development funding. We are at about 1.6% or 1.7%, which is just over halfway there. When I asked the Taoiseach last year he answered me by saying there are many competing challenges such as housing, healthcare, transport and education, which I entirely acknowledge and agree with but which I do not see as being mutually exclusive. I will make that point. Spending on research and development can assist with our societal challenges if directed in the right way. We are not anywhere near 2.5%. That is our agreed target from Government. When will we hit that target? Where are we at in terms of meeting those commitments?

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