“Tánaiste Mary Coughlan has defended a €24 million investment in scientific research, saying it would help create jobs and build a ‘smart economy’ for Ireland. The Government was committed to this investment and would support research despite the economic difficulties, Ms Coughlan said yesterday. She was speaking at the launch in Dublin of five new ‘strategic research clusters’ that will build links between academic scientists and private sector companies. ‘With this kind of research we can attract and sustain employment,’ she said. Funding for the clusters comes via Science Foundation Ireland (SFI). When asked whether the money might have been better spent in public services, she defended the investment …” (more)
[Dick Ahlstrom, Irish Times, 26 February]