Feargal Quinn (Independent)

The good news is that last night the Construction Contracts Bill passed through Second Stage in the Dáil. I mention this as it is a Bill that was initiated in the Seanad over two years ago. It now goes to the Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform. Although that is not our baby, anything we can do in the next couple of weeks to get that Bill into that sub-committee and then passed so it can come back to the Seanad and become law should be done.

This is a Bill to protect subcontractors from some of the business dealings that have been going on over the years. It is essential we get it passed as it has taken over two years to get this far. We can get it passed in the next few weeks but, as there are only five weeks of the session to go, I ask the Leader and the Cathaoirleach to do all they can to encourage the passage of that Bill through the Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform in order that it comes back to this House before the session finishes.

Senator Mary White has just raised a topic that is worthy of consideration. A lot of university time is spent on various subjects but not the subject of actually bringing something to sale, particularly technology and innovation at international level. There is a need to do that and I support wholeheartedly the words of Senator White. It seems there is still a tradition in the universities of aiming at some of the softer, more traditional subjects, whereas bringing something to the point of sale is critical. It is amazing the number of times it happens in business that a product is marketed but nobody is asked to buy it in the end. That is the process we need if we are to succeed in the years ahead. We can succeed and the topic Senator White has introduced is one I would love to see brought to the fore.