The Tánaiste has proposed the creation of a body to advise Government on ethical issues surrounding cloning, genetic engineering and other contentious issues.
In a keynote address on science policy she has also called for a greater level of trust between researchers and the public.
Ms Harney was speaking last night in Dublin to the Royal Irish Academy. It was her first major pronouncement on science issues since assuming full control of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment's science brief.
She reviewed existing science policy during her speech to a large audience that included almost all of the State's university presidents, senior figures in Irish technology industries and many of Ireland's leading scientific researchers.
She also took the opportunity to raise new issues, including the idea of an advisory body on ethics.
"With our increased investment in science, we should now consider whether an advisory body should be introduced to advise the Government on related ethical issues," she said last night.
"Contemporary science raises some of the most challenging ethical issues of our time . . . We should try to be very well informed and even a step ahead of the ethical issues that good science raises in all areas of scientific exploration."
Clarifying the issue for The Irish Times, she said she had not yet raised the issue at Cabinet, but the independence of such a body would be paramount.
"If you want to have the best possible advice for the Government you have to have it from an independent group," she said. "The ethical issues are going to arise constantly."
Her proposal did not specifically arise from recent reports of cloned children arising in the US and in Italy, but she voiced her opposition to the use of this technology.
"I am not a fan of cloning," she said, but acknowledged being a strong supporter of existing in-vitro fertilisation techniques.
She also acknowledged the creation, at the request of her own Department, of the Irish Council for Bioethics, which was established by the Royal Irish Academy.
This body has begun preparing ethical guidelines for medical and scientific researchers.
Another body, the Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction, was two years into a study of the ethical issues raised by in-vitro fertilisation, stem cell research and cloning and is expected to report to Government in May, the Tánaiste said.
The theme of Ms Harney's address was the creation of a "civic science", a culture of science recognised as valuable by the public.
"By a civic science, I mean a science engaged with and invited into the national dialogue. I mean a science responsive to the public and worthy of the public trust," she said.
The State had embarked on an unprecedented €2,540 million investment in research and innovation and it was necessary that the public recognise value for money in this investment, she said.
"When a government provides the funding, science is obligated by definition to become a civic science," the Tánaiste declared. "And a civic science invokes a civic trust that all of us involved must earn."
The State agencies supporting research must provide leadership and direct their resources in a manner worthy of public confidence.
