Statement by Máire GEOGHEGAN-QUINN (Ireland), Commissioner-designate for Research, Innovation and Science, during her hearing at EP in Brussels.

Brussels

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

hearing of Commissioners

GEOGHEGAN-QUINN, Máire (IE, EC)

2010 Commissioners' hearings (T)

hearing of Máire GEOGHEGAN-QUINN (T)

Hearing of Máire GEOGHEGAN-QUINN (Ireland), Commissioner-designate for Research, Innovation and Science: extracts

Arrivals and ambience shots before the hearing starts

M&aacute;ire GEOGHEGAN-QUINN, in English: 'Our researchers need to be able to travel and work in other member states and enjoy fully protected social security and pension entitlements; we know that the 3% Barcelona target is very important, but to achieve it we need to enable a better investment climate for research'

M&aacute;ire GEOGHEGAN-QUINN, in English: 'The research work place needs to evolve to empower more women to play their full part in science; we also need to address the increasing disconnect between science and society'

M&aacute;ire GEOGHEGAN-QUINN, in English: 'Europe has entered to the age of innovation, we can be followers or leaders; Europe is at its best when working in the future tense, working in partnership with the European Parliament and specifically with this Committee, we can move forward. Together we can make a difference, we need to make a difference' Applause

M&aacute;ire GEOGHEGAN-QUINN, in English: 'Less rules mean less errors, we need to simplify what we have and that simplification will not just help what we have at the moment but it will equally help SMEs to get more involved...'

M&aacute;ire GEOGHEGAN-QUINN, in English: It is the one area, climate change, where research has changed people's hearts and minds, it's a perfect example of how research can do that; efficiency in energy is achieved through a combination of research, innovation and smart regulation, and the EU energy efficiency plan is due to be reviewed this year'

M&aacute;ire GEOGHEGAN-QUINN, in English: 'I am a politician, I am not a civil servant. I am into action, we've done enough talking, the time is now for action (...) I am going to deliver with the research that we have in the areas that it is badly needed'

M&aacute;ire GEOGHEGAN-QUINN, in English: 'You can be assured; no research will be forgotten about... Whatever needs to be fixed, it will be fixed by us'

M&aacute;ire GEOGHEGAN-QUINN, in English: 'I don't want to do anything that will compromise sound financial management, that's very important, we are talking about the money that belongs to our people and our taxpayers and we have to be sure that it's spent in a regular and legal way'

M&aacute;ire GEOGHEGAN-QUINN, in English: 'The cost of getting a patent in Europe is 20 times more that it is in the United States, and even worse than that, to maintain it afterwards is maybe as great as 50 to 60% more than in the US; so there has to be a way found to break through the bottleneck, to open the door to provide the support and protection that European researchers need and you can be assured of me being involved so the Commission take the final steps in this area'

M&aacute;ire GEOGHEGAN-QUINN, in English: 'The research is there, what we need to do is to commercialise the research to provide the products at the end of the day that are needed to deal with the various big society challenges that need to be faced; but also to ensure that by doing that, we build up a better society in the future for our people'

M&aacute;ire GEOGHEGAN-QUINN, in English, on the need to provide graduates with opportunities to work across the EU in the science field... 'We should make science sexy if you forgive me for using that term...'