Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 13 Jun 1996

Vol. 466 No. 8

Written Answers. - Science and Technology Promotion.

Ned O'Keeffe

Ceist:

109 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment when the £250,000 earmarked for science and technology promotion will be released to Forfás; the groups that will benefit from the funding; and the recommendations, if any, from the STIAC report that will be implemented. [12441/96]

Ned O'Keeffe

Ceist:

110 Mr. E. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment when the Government's response to the Science Technology Innovation Advisory Council (STIAC) report will be published. [12442/96]

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. Quinn)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 110 together.

Forfás has prepared a dedicated, professionally-managed awareness programme, intended to improve the perception of science, technology and innovation in the media, among the public and among opinion makers. A sum of £250,000 is being made available for this programme, details of which will be announced by Forfás in the coming weeks.

The programme approach is to work with organisations already active in the area of science, technology and innovation awareness; to that end, liaison with a wide range of groups has been developed in recent months. The objective is to build on what is already happening and to add value to what is in place. The overall approach does not envisage a fund with applications open to all.

The strategy of the Forfás programme is to segment the public into five target audiences, namely decision-makers, business, the media, the schools and the general public and, in each case, to identify a key objective and organise a series of events to support that objective.

The Minister of State with responsibility for commerce, science and technology is preparing a public response to the STIAC report, for early consideration by the Government prior to its publication.