Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 426: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation if the 17 members of the research prioritisation steering group will be awarded remuneration for their work; the level of remuneration in each case; the work the steering group will undertake; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35031/10]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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We recently announced the establishment of a High Level Steering Group to oversee a project to establish priority areas of focus for Irish Research for the future. The purpose of this exercise is to identify up to twenty priority areas, or approaches to tackling national challenges that we face, and to concentrate future investment in publicly funded STI in those areas. The project will take account of research areas where Ireland has built significant strength to date and particularly areas that have the greatest potential to deliver sustainable economic return through enterprise development, employment creation, or indeed, quality of life.

The Steering Group that we have appointed draws on national and international expertise in the private and public sectors, as well as senior Government officials. The Group will have responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the prioritisation exercise. Forfás, with a resource provided by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), will provide the secretariat to the Steering Group. I would like to express my gratitude and that of the Government to the members of the Steering Group who accepted our invitation to place the Irish economy and society at the heart of the strategic process by giving of their time and expertise to this project. They will not be remunerated for their work but may recoup travel and subsistence expenses incurred in accordance with public service guidelines.