TWICE THE SIZE - DIT Update - Dublin Institute of Technology

educational, industrial and governmental support perspective. Again, some twenty significant
technological issues and trends identified are listed below.
1. Recent investments in science and technology, especially the Strategy for Science
Technology and Innovation [SSTI], and the funding announced in NDP∏ are a
welcome major step forward in building an innovative and competitive economy.
There now needs to be a concerted effort to deliver on these initiatives, and to
continue striving towards a vision of an Ireland internationally renowned for its
excellence in research.
2. With regard to innovation, the SSTI makes little mention of innovation policy and
equates innovation with research and development. Scant attention is paid to
innovation in the public sector, an area which will be of growing importance over
the lifetime of the NDP, and beyond, as increased value for money is sought. There
is a need for a comprehensive national innovation policy encompassing both the
public and private sectors.
3. Detailed work programmes in the areas of science and technology are vital if all of
the money earmarked for investment is to provide the tangible outcomes that will
progress the economy over the scenario period. There is the serious danger that
simply spending vast sums of money on research and development, especially on
scattered doctoral programmes, will not produce the results aspired to in the
Strategy. Like all investments, a proper business case for investing in specific areas
of science and technology should be a pre-requisite.
4. There is a need for an investigation into the teaching of mathematics and sciences
in schools to be conducted to identify the structural difficulties within the education
system if the future of Ireland as a knowledge economy is not to be imperilled.
5. The concept of cluster development should be nurtured, bringing together a strong
academic base, skilled pools of labour, innovation oriented commercial companies,
high levels of service infrastructure, protection of intellectual property, availability
of finance and a positive local and central government policy towards the
complementary group of industries and other contributing organisations.
6. In the agri-food industry there is the need to build-up strategic management,
marketing, scientific and technological capabilities to ensure competitiveness in
farm production and in the manufacture and marketing of innovative food products
and processes.
7. Lack of awareness in the value of marine resources has made Ireland a late-starter
in the development of a marine technology sector focused on sustainable
harvesting, sensor development, wave energy, specialist food processing, intermodal
maritime transport and biotechnologically related acquaculture.
8. For the construction industry, there are huge technological opportunities, some of
which already are successfully being exploited, in such areas as integrated building
protection, off-site prefabrication, on-site mechanisation, smart buildings and
materials, virtual design, and the application of IT in all aspects of the construction,
manufacture, procurement, management and maintenance processes.
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