The Government's chief science adviser takes up his post this morning following his appointment last June. Dr Barry McSweeney becomes the first such adviser to Government and is expected to play a key role in future policy decisions on scientific research and innovation.
Dr McSweeney this summer left a senior position as head of the EU's largest directorate-general, the Joint Research Centre in Ispra, Italy, to become chief science adviser to the Government.
He will be based in Forfás, the State's advisory body on science, but will operate independently from any Government Department, reporting to the Cabinet Committee on Science and Technology.
His main role will be to provide analysis and opinion on all major policy proposals being submitted to the State in the area of science, technology and innovation.
He will also advise on the scale of State investment in those areas and oversee a system of independent evaluation of Government science policy and expenditure.
Importantly, he will be in a position to adjudicate on any proposed replacement for the Government's current research spending schemes worth €2.54 billion and now running under the National Development Plan, 2000-06.
The Tánaiste, Ms Harney, who announced Dr McSweeney's appointment in June, has already indicated that the State would continue this level of investment in scientific research at least until 2010. This eased fears among scientists that State research expenditure would fall back to the abysmal level it was at before the introduction of the National Development Plan.
Dr McSweeney is decidedly pro-research, as evidenced during his time as head of the EU's main research centre. A biochemist, he has been in Ispra since 1995, and before that served as director of BioResearch Ireland, the State body that promotes biotechnology.
He also has extensive industrial experience with a number of international companies.
Mr McSweeney said he was "enthusiastic" about taking up the new position. Public concerns about science "often reflect a lack of clear understanding" and he hoped to bring about a better acceptance of science.
