The Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology, Conor Lenihan, has criticised the Department of Finance over its approach to research and development.
He said that sometimes the Department of Finance does not get the link between research and development and economic recovery and he said that just because the Minister, Brian Lenihan, is his brother, this does not mean that he listens to him.
He said the Minister for Finance has an axe, which he sometimes wields indiscriminately.
He told the researchers gathered at the Enterprise Ireland Award ceremony in Dublin that he would need their support to convince the Government to invest more in research and development.
Minister Lenihan said he did not believe the smart economy was possible without this kind of investment.
