asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the resources he will make available to the Office of Science and Technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Office of Science and Technology.
14.
In my answer to Parliamentary Question No. 183 on 28 April last, I have already detailed the areas of responsibility of the Minister of State for Science and Technology and in my reply to Question No. 65 on 20 May I detailed the personnel resources which are available to the Minister.
The principal agencies falling within the Minister of State's responsibility have a total budgetary allocation in 1987 of the order of £12.6 million.
Additionally, I have indicated previously in this House that I was establishing a programme for priority action in the area of science and technology. I am now finalising my consideration of this matter and expect to be announcing my decision thereon very shortly.
Will the Minister explain how he proposes to implement his proposals in view of the cuts in the budgets to the IIRS, An Foras Talúntais, An Foras Forbartha, universities, regional technical colleges and the IDA, all of which are involved in the area of science and technology and research? Will the £12.96 million allocated by the Department be used up by administration of a reduction in the activities in science and technology? Where are the 50 specific research jobs promised by the Taoiseach in the excellent Fianna Fáil document on science and technology policy——
This is a long question, will the Deputy bring it to finality?
Where are the 50 jobs?
The second part of the Deputy's question regarding jobs is a separate one——
The Minister is relieved that that is so.
If Deputy Stagg wishes to put down a question in this regard I will be delighted to answer it. In relation to the allocation of budget resources to the Office of Science and Technology. I assure the Deputy that the decision will be published within the next week or so. It will be covered by the allocations within my Department, in other words it will be a question of reallocating funds from various areas to science and technology.
Is the Minister aware that Ireland has one of the lowest percentages of GDP expenditure on research and development? Does he agree that a reasonable objective would be a 1 per cent GDP expenditure in terms of resources? Will the Minister specifically give sympathetic consideration to the proposal by the NBST in 1984 to set up an infrastructure of advance manufacturing technology and bio-technology also involving a private sector contribution?
I am fully aware of the total inadequacy of investment in science and technology in this country. In so far as my period of office is concerned, I will do everything in my power to direct or redirect more funds into that area. I fully agree that Ireland needs infrastructure. I presume the Deputy is referring to the centres of excellence for scientific development.
Campus companies.
I fully subscribe to that development because we have been without an infrastructural development for far too long. Indeed, if we delay much longer we could be left behind in attracting certain industries which would demand that type of infrastructure before they would set up here. I will do everything I can to provide resources within the tight constraints of the financial position.
In view of the fact that State spending on research and development is half that of Europe, does the Minister agree that we need to increase spending and to redirect it towards effectiveness in industry instead of the relatively haphazard spending we now have.
I agree that it has been haphazard and one of the first priorities of the Minister of State for Science and Technology is to carry out a full evaluation of the many areas within the Department of Industry and Commerce and outside it which are spending money on science and technology. We must be certain that the scarce resources are directed to high priority areas and we must also ask if we can afford to commit the resources necessary for long term strategic research and development. Many industrialised countries have applied a significant amount of their resources to the commercialising of existing technology. They have improved manufacturing processes and new product development. That is how we intend to direct expenditure in the future.
A Cheann Comhairle——
Order, I must now deal with questions nominated for priority.