Analysis:The staggering sums involved are a commitment by the Government to scientific endeavour, writes Dick Ahlstrom
The launch of the Government's Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation provides ample evidence that it is taking the creation of a knowledge-based economy very seriously.
The strategy represents the first comprehensive strategic approach to developing science, technology and innovation on a whole-of-Government basis. It provides joined-up interdepartmental thinking which has typically been absent in the past.
The goal of the strategy is to use public money as a way to build up our research base in third level institutions but also in the private sector, as a way to develop our economy and create an enterprise culture based on innovation.
This, in turn, is expected to attract more high-quality inward investment by technology-driven global companies and help create more employment and wealth. "This strategy is first and foremost about jobs," said Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin yesterday during a briefing.
"It is clear that if we are to remain competitive we will have to transform our economy," he said. The document shows Government policy is now aligned with research and development.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern pointed out that the strategy represented a key plank of the 2007-2013 national development plan, to be launched next November. This is also why the strategy, as presented yesterday, does not provide all the numbers needed to understand the remarkable levels of expenditure being discussed.
For example, Mr Martin yesterday described a State expenditure of €3.8 billion during the life of the strategy to 2013. The private sector could contribute up to €2.5 billion more by 2013 if it meets the challenges and begins to invest in research and development, as called for by employers' body Ibec.
Even without the private sector contribution, the strategy indicates the benchmark spend on science had reached an annual €658 million in 2005.
It continues: "Taking account of the allocations of the existing Capital Envelopes and Existing Levels of service spending projected to 2013, the net additional resources required to implement the strategy in full have been costed at €1.88 billion over the period to 2013."
The seven-year annual spend of €658 million if continued, added to by the €1.88 billion, could mean the strategy's value by 2013 could be as high as €6.48 billion.
This is a staggering sum and represents a remarkable turnabout in the fortunes and conduct of Irish scientific research since the mid-90s. At that time, the State's investment in research amounted to just a few million punts.
As welcome as these stunningly high figures are, and they will be especially welcome to our working scientists, the document is just as important because of what it represents.
First, it is an all-Government document. Departmental interests have been subsumed into a single agreed strategy that reflects the concerns of all of the departments spending taxpayers' money on research.
Second, it demonstrates an unprecedented engagement by the Government with research. It helps reduce fears that it is taking a short-term view of research, something that is an inherently long-term activity, as pointed out yesterday by one of the chief architects of the document, the assistant secretary general in Mr Martin's department, Ned Costello.
Third, the document touches all the important bases when it comes to promoting a broadly-based science agenda. It supports higher education science infrastructure, including buildings and equipment, with a €640 million investment through 2013. It allocates €340 million for enterprise supports and €900 million for research and commercialisation programmes to help get the fruits of scientific discovery into companies, jobs and products.
It indicates plans for developing student interest in the sciences and provides confidence for those entering third level and considering a career in science that the Government has embarked on a long-term programme to build a knowledge economy.
While the numbers and fine detail are important, the clear-cut commitment by the Government to promoting scientific endeavour is what this strategy is really all about.