THE Government has reneged on its commitment to science yet is "pouring" money into other areas, according to the chairman of the Irish Research Scientists Association.
Major recommendations on future science policy made last year by the Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (STIAC) have been allowed to gather dust on a Government shelf, according to a leading article in Research Scientist News by Dr David Fegan.
"Eighteen months ago, Irish researchers thought they were on the brink of a new era in national science policy . . . but our trust in the institutions of Government had been entirely misplaced," he writes.
In recent years, we have seen large sums of money on an ad hoc basis into arts festivals, the GAA, Dublin Zoo, horse racing, interpretative centres, and so on. Projects are increasingly funded on the basis of political expediency alone."
According to IRSA, the STIAC report proposed increasing science spending by £42 million in the first year. Dr Fegan, a UCD physics lecturer, accuses the Minister for Commerce, Science and Technology, Mr Rabbitte, of making "an a la carte selection" of STIAC recommendations.
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