Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 July 2016
453. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which she expects innovation and technology to remain a feature of economic development over the next five years; the extent to which supportive incentives are available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23282/16]
View answerInnovation 2020, Ireland's strategy for Research and Development, Science and Technology, is based on a shared vision of Ireland becoming a Global Innovation Leader, driving a strong, sustainable, high employment economy and a better society. As recognised in the strategy, innovation plays a central role in driving productivity growth and fostering competitiveness in a global world where knowledge and innovation are critical factors for advanced economies. Innovation contributes significantly to employment, export and investment growth; the competitiveness of indigenous enterprise; embedding the Foreign Direct Investment base in Ireland; and the creation and application of new knowledge and technology spillovers. Key to achieving the vision in Innovation 2020 is ensuring that our enterprise base remains resilient and internationally competitive. My Department and its agencies are focused on the development and support of internationally trading manufacturing and services firms in Ireland, and have a clear and steady focus on the potential and opportunities that exist and can be created by prioritising innovation and technology as a key driver of success. Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland provide a spectrum of innovation and science/ technology development programmes that deliver financial, technical and experiential support to help companies become more innovative, encourage and support competitiveness, and help them grow their sales and exports in order to create a climate in which sustainable employment will grow and expand.
Achieving the vision outlined in Innovation 2020 will mean that there will be:
- More enterprises engaged in RDI, including enterprises in the locally traded sectors, to drive productivity performance;
- More enterprises progressing from early engagement with RDI to embedding innovation as a key part of their business model in a self-sustaining way;
- Businesses across the enterprise base embracing new technologies to build successful business models;
- Achieving innovation leadership in key sectors where we can sustain a competitive edge;
- Greater utilisation by enterprises of the research assets of our Higher Education Institutes, by engaging with Research Centres and Technology Centres;
- Greater success in translating intellectual property or new thinking into commercial products and services – by providing better supports for knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship, infrastructure for test-bedding, and access to funding.
