The need to share technological investment to the rural regions, and particularly the west, was highlighted by the Minister of State for Science and Technology, Mr Noel Treacy, at the start of Science Week Ireland yesterday.
Mr Treacy also emphasised the importance of education in boosting the drive towards greater economic development and innovation, through furthering the key roles of science and technology.
Speaking at St Kerrill's National School, Gurteen, Co Galway, Mr Treacy said the Government's £25 million investment in the schools information Technology 2000 programme would further its commitment to giving every child the opportunity to develop computer literacy while still in school.
"As a Government, we recognise the vital role of education in the rapid expansion of high-tech employment," he said. "Consequen tly, we renamed the Department of Education the Department of Education and Science on our return to office earlier this year."
Mr Treacy said the economy had been compared to the fastgrowing Asian economies, which had been happy to compete on the basis of low cost and more efficient production and through copying or improving on the technology created by others. This was not an option for the modern Irish economy, he said.
"If Ireland is to continue to develop and create innovative firms, it will have to invest more, and more wisely, in science, research and technology effort." He reiterated his desire to see the benefits of the economic boom shared out to the regions. "There is no rea son, with the proper investment and technological transfer, that we cannot achieve this balanced regional development," he said.