Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There was some discussion of Brexit, which presents an opportunity for the further and higher education space. My colleague, Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan, raised the issue of Erasmus+. Given that it is intended that the Erasmus+ budget will increase by 55%, that presents a major opportunity for Ireland. A campaign is needed here to encourage Irish students to take up Erasmus+ in much greater numbers. The SFI centre, which the Minister mentioned in regard to North-South co-operation, is welcome but we need to look at many more such initiatives.

There are possibilities in that regard. Joint professorships, both North-South and east-west, need to be considered. We share common quality assurance systems and the peer-review culture between the two islands is very similar. Work has been done by the British Irish Chamber of Commerce, the Royal Irish Academy and others, but there is an opportunity at the heart of the Department to look at how we can foster greater North-South, east-west co-operation while, at the same time, encouraging European collaboration.