Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

65. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which he expects innovation and technology to remain a feature of economic development over the next five years; the supportive incentives that are available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38576/15]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government is committed to the importance of innovation and technology given the key role that it plays in underpinning economic recovery and maintaining Ireland’s competitiveness.

In the past decade and a half we have made significant progress in our national innovation system which started from a very low base by international comparisons. We have successfully built up research capacity and now we have a significant reputation for research excellence along with an increasing base of R&D active enterprises. Supporting effective research that produces outputs of maximum impact for Ireland’s economy and society is crucial.

In this context, an Interdepartmental Committee for Science, Technology and Innovation, which is chaired by my Department, is in the final stages of preparing a successor to the national Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006-2013. The new Strategy will outline our plan to ensure that we build on our significant achievements to date.

The availability of supportive incentives have been vital in our success to date in securing and growing Foreign Direct Investment, creating new companies, and providing a highly educated workforce. This new Strategy will allow us to build on these supports and will address issues such as: levels of public and private investment; enterprise RDI; the development of talent; optimising the transfer of knowledge between our public research system and enterprise; and collaboration within the public system, between the public system and enterprise and beyond that, collaboration at international level.