WE were rapidly reaching a situation where the company that did not innovate would have no place left for it in the market place, Mr Feargal Quinn (Ind) warned.
As a country, we had no culture of science and technology and we had no culture of innovation, he said in a debate on the White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation. "We have always taken the easy way out, and felt that innovation was for others."
Stressing the need to realise that those days had gone forever, be said the motto that should be carved on our consciousness was "Innovate or die".
It was time we had a Cabinet minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr Quinn said.
The reason we spend so little on research and development was because we have a national myopia about science and technology. He did not think the White Paper paid more than lip service to essential projects in this area. Some, but not enough, progress had been made on convincing the nation that science and technology were important for our future. A vital message was that without science and technology innovation would not be obtained.
The awareness campaign mentioned in the White Paper should focus on innovation. "We have to sell the Irish people on innovation first and then on science and technology as a means to achieve it."
Moderate unionists should be brought into the Hume Adams process in an attempt to produce more acceptable proposals on how a settlement might be reached in the North, Mr Sam McAughtry (Ind) urged.
Reported IRA activities indicated that there could be an outrage before Christmas, he noted. It was likely, in that event, there would be casualties on both sides and that young Catholics could be killed as well as those people who were targeted by the IRA. An appeal should be made to the Provisionals to think again before they acted.
Mr McAughtry described as "excessively green", in terms of their origin, the Hume Adams proposals to the British Prime Minister. The Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs should be encouraged to consider an input from a third element - highly regarded Northern Protestants who were neither Orange nor members of the Ulster Unionist Party. This could result in proposals more acceptable than previous ones.
House leader Mr Maurice Manning undertook to pass Mr McAughtry's "very constructive contribution" to the relevant members of Government.
The Seanad vacancy created by the tragic death of Cathaoirleach Mr Liam Naughten will be filled on January 28th next. Mr Manning will move the writ for the by election next Wednesday.
It is likely that there will be only two candidates. The Fine Gael Parliamentary Party meets next Thursday to decide on its nominee. Mr Denis Naughten is expected to be chosen to succeed his father. Fianna Fail has yet to decide on a candidate. Voting is confined to senators and TDs.