Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I was delighted to hear the views expressed by the Minister of State. I have a vested interest in this matter because two years ago I received a telephone call from the chief scientific adviser, Professor Cunningham, who asked me to serve on the group which put together the bid. I assumed when he contacted me that he was aware of my great skills in science. I was fortunate to have had a marvellous science teacher, Fr. Michael Casey, when I attended the Dominican College in Newbridge. Just after I left Fr. Casey went on to become a professor of science at NUI Maynooth. He fostered a deep interest in physics, botany, biology and chemistry among those who passed through his hands. It was great to see a teacher who was enthusiastic and interested. We almost got to know the famous Irishmen mentioned by the Minister of State as well as anyone else. In recent years I came to know James Watson and his wife, Elizabeth. They were in touch with me yesterday to say they were coming to our home for dinner next month. James Watson is the man who discovered the double helix of DNA with Francis Crick in 1953 and was awarded the Nobel prize in 1962. We attended his 80th birthday celebrations four years ago. It is a joy to be in the company of a person who is as exciting as him.

The Minister of State left out one of the names of the important people involved. Dara Ó Briain, an Irish comedian who appears on British television, will also be attending because he is a science graduate and a real enthusiast of the subject.

I hope the forum will make more people interested in science by connecting them with the international science community. It is a challenge to interest young people in science subjects. A Dutch study published in 2008 found that highly socialised extrovert students tended to drop science subjects at the earliest opportunity. I presume they steer themselves instead towards more human areas of work such as law, politics and economics. The New Scientist states: "Reintroducing into school curricula the humanity of science – with all its flaws, its tales of outrageous behaviour and even more outrageous characters – would give teens the opportunity to see scientists as role models". We have to bring back the human side of science and I hope the forum contributes to that goal.

I am glad the forum will also include discussions on entrepreneurship and company formation because that is where the jobs will be created. The science to business section includes presentations on how companies and university researchers can benefit from collaboration. Gender also appears to make a difference when it comes to entrepreneurship. There is so much potential for collaboration between business and science. Several years ago Trinity College Dublin developed a new scheme called IdentiGEN, the world's first meat trace back programme, in a joint effort with my company, Superquinn. The company has since won several international deals for DNA tracing systems. We need to see more of these scientific start-up initiatives. Another company that is doing very well stems from University College Cork. It is called Nualight and develops LED lighting. It is taking over several companies in the United States, Holland and elsewhere. These were start-up companies which originated in one man's mind, but they have since become very successful.

In terms of SMEs, we should be looking to the strength of the food industry. I am glad the forum is considering food technology, but we could do more to support innovation and technology in the agrifood sector. For example, the food innovation showcase which takes place in New Zealand welcomes visitors from all over the world to explore that country's leading edge food technology companies and products. It is not only a question of developing good products but also of commercialising, marketing and selling them. The New Zealand Government actively supports the development of new and innovative products that can help the country to become more successful through advantages such as its joined up dairy industry, with specific products for individual markets. It has the ability to access markets more successfully than Ireland. We have to explore growing markets in healthier and more environmentally friendly foods, as well as emerging markets in the food and drink industry because we are in danger of being left behind.

The world's population recently passed the 7 billion mark and is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050. Ireland's population growth rate is faster than any other European country. We are well placed to benefit from this population growth in terms of food security. Last year The Economist published a special report on food security which asserted that intensive agriculture along Brazilian lines, alongside extensive use of fertiliser and genetically modified crops, would be necessary evils. Instead of dismissing genetically modified foods out of hand, should we not debate the issue now rather than risk being overtaken? Are some innovations good and others regarded as bad? Are we becoming anti-innovation and anti-science by dismissing genetically modified crops out of hand? The irony is that most of us are happy to be injected with a vaccine that has been produced through biotechnology. It is expected that the influence of Brazil, Russia, India and China on food markets will rise as Europe's declines. Europe's decision to turn its back on genetic modification and the livestock revolution may be understandable, but given the need for higher yields, it is in danger of marginalising itself. I can almost say the same about nuclear power. While I know there has been a major problem with a nuclear power plant in Japan, there are many successful nuclear energy sites throughout the world. Nuclear energy is not a fossil fuel and we should not turn our backs and have nothing to do with it. Most politicians have been afraid to say something about hydraulic fracturing to access gas, but there have been major successes. The one that comes to mind is in North Dakota which has been very successful and yet we are turning our back on these ideas. I am not saying they are right, but we should at least debate these matters. We should at least discuss and investigate the three areas of genetically modified food, nuclear energy and fracking.

I welcome the debate on science and the interest in it. I particularly welcome the Euroscience Open Forum, which I believe will be very successful. We should be very proud of the input into it. Its real aim is to ensure that science becomes of greater interest to young people in Ireland.