Research Links  Vital 4 Smart Jobs

Better Industry Links With Researchers Vital 2 Create  Smart' Jobs - Batt O'Keeffe

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt O'Keeffe TD, has said academic researchers should be required to partner with industry at all stages of their work so that ‘smart' jobs can be created by bringing products to market faster.

Irish researchers draw down around  €1 million each week from the EU's €50 billion Framework Programme, and sources said that figure is set to become €2 million each week by 2013.

Minister O'Keeffe was speaking following a meeting with Ireland's 's EU Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn,which he described as ‘very productive'.

"Research teams whose work has commercial potential must be required topartner with industry at all stages of their work so that there is no time lost in getting products to market and generating revenues and jobs.

‘In other works, if there is a gap between research and retail, we must
ensure that it is closed,' said Minister O'Keeffe.

Minister O'Keeffe was attending an EU Competitiveness Council meeting in Brussels before travelling to Paris for an OECD Ministerial Council meeting which concludes on Friday.

‘Ensuring firms are partners in this effort and can commercialise the results will be vital,' said Minister O'Keeffe.

Minister O'Keeffe urged Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn to ‘keep Ireland firmly in mind' as she draws up her new research and innovation plan whichwill be launched before September.

"Both Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn and I agreed that we must better link
academia and industry as partners in the development of research that has
commercial potential. he said.

"We are already doing that Ireland through the Centres for Science,Engineering and Technology - but we can do more with the support of thebroad EU innovation policy framework, particularly as we set about implementing the recommendations of the Innovation Taskforce.

‘"European research and innovation will be focused on global challenges such
as climate change, energy and food security, and healthcare.

"But we must also be conscious of our competitiveness and the commercial
opportunities presented by the big ticket societal challenges of our time,"
said Minister O'Keeffe.

In a separate meeting with the EU Commissioner for Industry andEntrepreneurship, Antonio Tajani, Minister O'Keeffe stressed the need for greater focus on innovation in the food industry.

Minister O'Keeffe invited Commissioner Tajani to Ireland to visit innovative Irish firms food and drinks firms.

Minister O'Keeffe travels to Paris today [Wednesday] to represent Irelandat the annual OECD Ministerial Council where Ministers will discusseconomic recovery strategies.

He will hold bilateral talks with the EU Commissioner for Trade, Karel de Gucht, and meet Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland-supported firms.

Schedule Announced for the Irish Software Show, June 8th-11th Click Here

People reading this article also read....

More Enterprise Ireland News on IrishDev.com

More Intel News on IrishDev.com

More Science Foundation Ireland News on IrishDev.com

More Wireless Sensing News on IrishDev.com

. 

Get Instant Updates....

Join IrishDev.com on Facebook and Twitter