Seanad debates

Thursday, 20 May 2010

11:00 am

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Fine Gael)

I want to raise a matter I have raised previously with the Leader, namely, the progress made on the report of the innovation task force that was launched by the Government some months ago. It is a fine piece of work and was produced by people with real expertise and a passion for the smart economy. The Government is telling us it will be instrumental in creating over 100,000 jobs. The reason I raise the matter this week is that in recent days the implementation group for the task force has been set up. Having looked at its membership, it appears that there is only one person who was involved in the starting of one of the smart companies we are all so committed to creating. All of the others in the group are people working with large companies, Government agencies and universities. If we are to kindle an entrepreneurial spirit in the smart economy, we should surely have representatives who have actually demonstrated such spirit. Their absence in any great number from the group makes me concerned that the report will stay on a shelf somewhere in a Department, with many other reports.

On the call for a debate on the European globalisation fund made by some of my colleagues, we are about to start a debate in Ireland and across Europe on the difference between economic governance and economic government from a European perspective. When starting that debate, we would do well to remember the presence of funds such as the European globalisation fund and the great contribution they are making to countries such as our own.

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