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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Feb 2002

Vol. 547 No. 3

Written Answers. - Job Creation.

Seymour Crawford

Ceist:

82 Mr. Crawford asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps she proposes to take in conjunction with her colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, to deal with the fall off in the take up of science subjects and the consequences in relation to job creation and job maintenance. [3368/02]

The issue of the fall off in the take up of science subjects is primarily the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science. The Minister has established a task force to examine all matters impacting on the take up of the physical sciences and related subjects at both second and third level. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is represented on this task force, which is chaired by Dr. Danny O'Hare and I understand a final report is expected this month.

The Government has demonstrated its commitment to the development of a knowledge based economy through the substantial investment of €2.5 billion allocated for research, technological development and innovation in the National Development Plan, 2000-2006. If we are to achieve success in this strategy, a crucial element will be the availability of adequate numbers of maths, science and engineering graduates, which will be the key to job creation and job maintenance in the future. This issue was highlighted by the IDA in its submission to the task force. In this context there is a common view that the physical sciences, therefore, must be made more attractive to students. The science, technology and innovation awareness programme managed by Forfás on behalf of the office of science and technology in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment aims to raise the awareness of science, technology and innovation among young people and to highlight their increasingly central role in national and social economic development.

Forfás, in its recent statement on the review of 2001 and outlook for 2002, indicated that it was essential that the fall off in the study of science subjects at second level is reversed if the people required to undertake research and development in future years are to be available.

We are confident, therefore, that the task force on the physical sciences will report on the comprehensive measures required to address this issue.

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