When my eldest son, Eamonn, finished school he decided to pursue commerce and economics studies in Trinity College. I remember telling Tom Hardiman, who at the time was chairman of the science and technology board, what my son was going to study and inquired angrily "Do you not realise the future is in science and technology? Why would anybody waste their time doing anything else?" It was great to have people like Tom Hardiman arguing the case for science and technology 20 years ago.