Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the nature of the co-operation between his Department and the Department of Education and Science in the promotion of science as a school subject and to his role in promoting a multifaceted innovation agenda across relevant Departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31479/07]

Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has set a goal for Ireland to become a leader in research and development and innovation. It has committed a budget of €8.2 billion under the National Development Plan 2007-2013 and the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006-2113 towards achieving this goal.

One objective of the strategy is to increase participation in the sciences by young people and to bring about a significant increase in the number of people with advanced qualifications in science and engineering. Chapter 5 of the strategy sets out the goals towards this end while chapter 8 outlines the implementation and co-ordination mechanisms intended to facilitate, drive and achieve those goals.

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has overall responsibility for overseeing and directing the full implementation of the strategy. Governance structures have been established to ensure effective interaction, co-ordination and review of outputs across eight Departments, including the Department of Education and Science, the Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser, State agencies and higher education institutions, all of which are working together to implement the strategy.

At the apex of this is a Cabinet committee on science, technology and innovation, chaired by the Taoiseach. Its membership comprises the key stakeholder Ministers, including the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Minister for Education and Science and myself. Its objective is to ensure the environment for science, technological development and innovation is conducive to maintaining Ireland's competitiveness and to further developing Ireland's position as a dynamic and knowledge-driven economy.

The interdepartmental committee on science, technology and innovation, chaired by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, reports to the Cabinet committee on progress being made in implementing the strategy. Several subsidiary implementing bodies and dedicated working groups work under aegis of the committee.

Implementation of the strategy will be monitored and reviewed by means of an annual report prepared by the interdepartmental committee for the Cabinet committee and drawing on all the programmatic and policy strands and the expertise available to it. The first such report will be produced in spring 2008 and will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

All of the above actions demonstrate the whole of Government nature of the strategy. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment will continue to oversee and co-ordinate the work of the various groups and sub-groups to ensure the objectives of the SSTI are realised.

On the promotion of science — public awareness in schools — we recognise the importance of science in primary and secondary schools as well as the need to promote interest in science across all elements of society. The Department of Education and Science working with the Higher Education Authority has begun extensive syllabus redevelopment and continues to tackle curriculum reform, investing in professional awareness, guidance and technical assistance to support science in the educational system. This is supplemented by the work of the Discover Science and Engineering Programme, the Government's integrated science awareness programme.

Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I accept the Minister's argument that for Ireland to become a knowledge-based economy and less dependent on manufacturing, we need to move up the value chain and increase the number of graduates available to work in these industries.

My question was related to the fall-off in the uptake of science subjects at second level. A recent competitiveness report stated that one weakness facing Ireland was the lack of uptake of science and mathematics at second level. The number of students entering third level taking up ICT courses has dropped by 58% since 2000. While the strategy for science, technology and innovation outlines improvements in the take-up of science subjects, no specific targets have been set. How can the innovation policy be progressed without the pool of students to satisfy it?

Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Science was reintroduced into the primary school curriculum in 1999. In a recent review it was noted more young people are taking an interest in the sciences.

Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Not many students are taking science subjects to leaving certificate, however.

Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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At second level, 90% of students study science at junior certificate level, for which a new syllabus was introduced in 2003. Up to 60% of students study one of the three science subjects at leaving certificate level; 14.7% study physics and 13.5% study chemistry.

The uptake in these subjects has been a concern for some time. Numbers taking these subjects dramatically declined during the 1980s but there is evidence of a turnaround. A critical concern is to increase the numbers studying these subjects at senior level. The objective is to increase the percentage taking chemistry and physics at leaving certificate to 20% of the overall student cohort. As part of this approach, concerted efforts will be made to encourage a better gender balance in the taking up of physics.

The Discover Science and Engineering Programme, chaired by Leo Enright, has recently launched its annual roadshow. The number of students at primary and second level attending this has increased significantly. With the changes in the syllabus and the system and with the promotion of the Discover Science and Engineering Programme, the numbers will be brought back up. There is evidence that this is happening.

Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I agree the Discover Science and Engineering Programme is excellent and I met Leo Enright recently in Cork. However, science student numbers are down 4.5%, particularly in computer science. We are not generating the interest or the pool of students to feed our third level courses. The Minister for Education and Science changed the leaving certificate examination timetable this week but the science subjects did not feature. Interest at second level must be generated to ensure students take up third level courses in the future. The Minister of State also seems to have different figures from mine.

Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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I accept the Deputy's concerns. The Government is concerned about the matter. That is why changes to the curriculum were made and the publicity campaign launched by the Discover Science and Engineering Programme is being promoted. The Government acknowledges that there is a need to reverse the trend that was evident in the 1980s.