The launch into orbit of septuagenarian Senator John Glenn has reignited public interest in space. There is lively debate in the US about the value of the science that will flow from Glenn's return to space - 26 years after his last visit as the first American astronaut to orbit the earth. But what is undeniable is that US taxpayers are tuning into news broadcasts about the space shuttle and pilgrim Glenn's progress in numbers large enough to make the US Congress sit up and pay attention. NASA hopes and expects this new public interest will make its congressional lobbying effort more productive as it attempts to win sufficient funding for the next great endeavour - participation in the International Space Station, the first components of which are due for launch later this year.
The Minister of State for Science and Technology, Mr Noel Treacy, will hope that financial benefit flows also from public interest and involvement in Science Week Ireland, which takes place this week. The 150 events are aimed at helping people gain a better understanding of what science is and how it and its offspring, technology, contribute to Ireland's economic prosperity. High technology industry is a key element of our current economic well-being. However, we need a steady flow of science and engineering graduates to work in these multinational and indigenous technology firms.
Mr Treacy has proved himself a friend of scientific research, winning additional funding for several programmes for industry and the university sector. However, to achieve this success he had to gain the support of his colleagues in Cabinet. The publication of the Estimates will show whether or not he continues to enjoy their backing. Given the severe pressures placed on the public purse by fresh wage claims from the public sector, continuing agitation on the part of farmers and dissatisfaction from PAYE taxpayers, he faces an uphill struggle.
Perhaps Mr Treacy, while reminding the Government of the benefits now flowing from the technology-driven boom, could also point out the dangers of the steep fall now being recorded in the numbers of second level students studying chemistry and physics. Ten years ago 10,187 students took chemistry in the Leaving, about 21 per cent of the total, but by 1997 this had fallen to only 7,669, or 11 per cent of the total. Physics followed a similar trend, with 20 per cent of Leaving students taking this subject in 1987 compared to 14.5 per cent in 1997.
These trends have prompted the general secretary of the ASTI, Mr Charlie Lennon, to warn that high technology employers may be forced to look overseas to fill vacancies in the near future. Worse still could be the prospect of these same employers leaving for countries where their requirements can be met. These second level students are the science graduates of the future and the Government must invest now in teachers and school laboratory equipment to help boost the numbers taking these essential subjects.