Call to promote science in schools

MORE investment is needed in the promotion of maths and science at Irish schools.

This call comes as the largest ever Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) funding award of €87 million was announced yesterday.

ICT Ireland, the IBECassociation that represents the high-tech sector in Ireland, said companies investing here need to be sure of a steady supply of top graduates from which to recruit.

Director of ICT Ireland Kathryn Raleigh said: “Extra investment is needed in primary and secondary level education, to ensure that students do not opt out of honours level maths and science subjects.”

Ms Raleigh added that funding gaps remain in but welcomed the decision to allocate €87m additional funding for science projects.

Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, Micheál Martin said: “These projects are powerful agents for linking indigenous and multi-national companies with researchers inIreland’s institutes of higher learning.”

The award recipients of yesterday’s funding work in the fields underpinning biotechnology (BIO) and information communications technology (ICT) in 11 academic institutions in Ireland.