EUROPEAN COMMISSION president José Manuel Barroso has described Irish commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn’s work as incoming research and innovation commissioner as a core part of his drive to promote recovery in the wider EU economy.
Welcoming Ms Geoghegan- Quinn’s appointment to a “hugely important” portfolio, Taoiseach Brian Cowen noted Mr Barroso’s move to prioritise new sources of growth based on the “knowledge triangle” of research, education and innovation.
Mr Barroso said he expected his new team to help lead Europe out of the economic crisis and put growth on a secure footing. The objective was to respond to the challenges of competitiveness “from other parts of the world that do not have the same standards that we have in terms of social rights” and environmental protection.
Mr Barroso, who had a private meeting on Thursday with Ms Geoghegan-Quinn, said he enjoyed her company. Citing the inclusion of innovation in the former science and research brief, he said the mandate had been reinforced in the new commission.
“It is not only the management, implementation of all the policy of research and science . . . but also cross-cutting a horizontal responsibility on innovation,” he said.
“I think this will be very well received in Ireland because I know the commitment of Ireland to this economy of the future, to a more knowledge-based economy, to innovation. In fact, even if your country has been facing very big challenges because of the financial crisis, you remain a country very committed to the economy of the future.”
He added: “We need our competence in this agenda. Innovation as you know in my guidelines is at the top of my priorities as a new source of growth. How can we compete with China, with India and with others? It is of course [by] developing new sources of growth mainly through innovation.”
Mr Barroso said this was why he decided to put innovation and research in one portfolio. “[The] European Research Council will be directly under [Ms Geoghegan-Quinn’s] responsibility, but there will be also the need to link it to the development of business opportunities, the development of the markets, for example joint technology initiatives.”
At an event in Co Kildare to celebrate 20 years of investment by Intel in Ireland, Mr Cowen said the portfolio resonated strongly with the Government’s smart economy agenda. “It is testament to the calibre of Máire Geoghegan-Quinn that she has been allocated this portfolio,” he said.
In addition to the research programme, the brief includes responsibility for the Joint Research Centre, European Research Council and Research Executive Agency.