Seanad debates
Wednesday, 5 February 2003
Industrial Development (Science Foundation Ireland) Bill 2002: Second Stage.
I am venturing into difficult territory because I work in a sector of third level education which, rightly or otherwise, believes itself to be rhetorically equal but which, practically speaking, is seen as the poor relation of the third level education sector. Let me provide examples. The previous Government set up foresight panels which were important and useful. I went through the membership of those panels and counted only two academics from the entire institute of technology sector. They were dominated by university academics, all of whom I am sure were people of considerable ability, and by people from industry. The principle behind these panels was fine. However, the idea seemed quite wrong that, in the sector of education which concentrates and specialises in science and technology, there should be such a small number of people who would have any contribution to make in terms of considering how the world will evolve. If one looks at the composition of the Irish Council for Science, Technology and Innovation, one will find that the same applies.
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