Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 61: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the steps taken since the publication of the innovation taskforce's report to implement those key and supporting recommendations that the report would be considered immediately; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18782/10]

Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 85: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation if the implementation of the innovation taskforce's report will be made a priority; the steps he has taken since the innovation taskforce's report was published to implement some of the key recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18781/10]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 85 together.

The development of Ireland as an Innovation Hub is a key priority of the Government's economic recovery framework. The Innovation Taskforce has put forward a road map to make Ireland: the best place in Europe to turn research and knowledge into products and services; the best place in Europe to start and grow an innovative company; the best place to relocate or expand and scale an SME; the best place in Europe for research-intensive multinationals to collaborate with each other and with clusters of small companies.

Recent changes in Departmental structures have brought innovation to the fore in my new Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the Government has agreed that I personally chair a High Level Implementation Committee to oversee implementation of the Report of the Innovation Taskforce, as published in March. This reflects the highest political priority that is being afforded to the implementation of this report.

The membership of the Implementation Committee will comprise a number of private sector members, including representatives from the Innovation Taskforce and some members of the Enterprise Feedback Group for the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation which will be subsumed into this new Committee. The Implementation Committee will also include the Secretaries General of key Government Departments. The CEOs of key agencies will also participate in the work of the Committee.

I envisage a first meeting of the Implementation Committee at an early date and regular meetings thereafter. Each of my Ministerial colleagues has been asked to prioritise the implementation of recommendations from the Taskforce report for which they are responsible. Particular attention will be given to those recommendations from the Taskforce Report which can be implemented in the shorter term and work is already underway on a number of such recommendations. I will report on our work on a regular basis to the Taoiseach and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Renewal.