asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the functions and areas of responsibility of his Department being allocated to his Minister of State for Science and Technology, the State, semi-State and other bodies that will come within the aegis of the Science and Technology division; the overall policy and functional brief he is giving to his Minister of State for Science and Technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Office of Science and Technology.
183.
The Minister for Science and Technology is being allocated responsibility for the following broad functional area: Science and Technology; Industrial Research, Standards; Certain aspects of Information Technology including the Electronics and Telecommunications Equipment industries and Software; Legislation in respect of Industrial and Intellectual Property (Patents, Design; Trade Marks and Copyright).
The following bodies will come within the aegis of the Office of Science and Technology: The National Board for Science and Technology; The Institute for Industrial Research and Standards; The National Standards Authority of Ireland; The National Microelectronics Research Centre (Cork); The National Software Centre (Dublin); The Microelectronics Applications Centre (Limerick); The Innovation Centre (Limerick); The Patents and Trade Marks Office.
The primary objective of science and technology policy is to enhance, through innovation, research and development, and improved technologies, the competitiveness of, and value-added in, Irish raw materials, manufactured goods and services. The Minister for Science and Technology will be responsible for drawing up an action-oriented plan to this end which will include the necessary commitments from the broad range of Science and Technology bodies and agencies. The Minister will be responsible for the implementation of the plan.