Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I am asking for movement by the Leader to copperfasten the request made in the Dáil last night.

I welcome in advance the expected announcement of €400,000 of funding for university research. However, unless the interface between third level institutions and industry is improved, we will not see an adequate return for this investment. By "improvement" I mean new opportunities and new jobs. They were never more necessary than in a time of great economic challenge and restraint. In the past ten years almost €1 billion has been given to universities for research. How successful has this investment been? What targets have been achieved nationally and regionally?