It will, the document confidently asserts, take us to a smart new world, in which we will be smart and work smart - at sustainable jobs supported by smart capital. We will travel to these jobs by a process called smart commuting. This may involve cycling. We will live in smart homes, whose [low] energy consumption will be measured by smart metres (sic). Some people may even be lucky enough (or smart enough) to live in a 'smart town'.
In all, the words 'smart' or 'smarter' appear in the 43-page document 27 times.
Our world will be just so smart, we won't really need stupid old science any more, apart from a couple of settings:-
"We will support Teagasc in enhancing its scientific capacity to enable it to foster science-based innovation on farms and in firms."
"Through sustainable management based on scientific advice, we will work to rebuild fish stocks and maintain the quota fished annually by the Irish Fleet."
That's all folks - those are the sole references to science in the entire document. To be fair, it contains numerous references to research and technology. By why are they so afraid of one 's-word'? And so addicted to another?
