Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I pay tribute to him and the officials in his Department, and indeed the HEA and the higher education institutions, which I know have been dealing with many of the challenges that have resulted from Brexit. We need to come up with the least worst option and where we can avail of opportunities, we should do so. I welcome the Minister's reference to further collaborative arrangements, North-South, but those east-west relationships are also important. In the context of the discussions that will be had with the devolved administration or with the UK Government, we have to build on those existing strengths in the bilateral funding initiatives. The British Irish Chamber of Commerce has been strong on this. I welcome that the Minister has been talking about exploring ways of doing this. This has to be about more than talking about a North-South research centre. I would like to see us talk about funding for early career research. As the Minister was suggesting, it might cover researchers from here, not just going to the North, but to Scotland, England and Wales, and vice versa. The more we can explore that, the better.

The all-Ireland higher education dimension is important. I welcome the fact that the Minister talked about the Connacht-Ulster technological university and that it would partner not just with Magee but with Coleraine. It will, I am sure, be one of three technological universities that we will see early next year. It should not just be something that is seen as being for those Border institutions but has to be on an all-Ireland basis.

The Minister might comment on those matters but I have a number of questions specifically about the Erasmus+ programme. The Government's initiative is positive about allowing for Northern students to take part in the Erasmus+ programme. As I am sure he will be aware, approximately 800 students from the Republic of Ireland participate on the programme in the UK every year. Many are in the hotel, catering and tourism sector. Many might go to a top hotel in London and hone their skills there. I ask the Minister that, as part of the UK's Turing initiative, there be strong and close collaboration so that this close relationship can continue. The UK will be dying for early partners as part of the Turing scheme. If we can involve those from Ireland who would have gone to Britain under that Turing partnership, it would allow that to continue. I would like to hear the Minister's views on that.

Brexit presents challenges but it also presents opportunities. We have long identified Erasmus+ as a major opportunity but there are challenges in both increasing the number of Irish students availing of the programme and also now that the UK is no longer part of it.

Ireland is an English-speaking country with a progressive higher education system. We are an ideal destination and even if only half those who would have chosen the UK seek to come here, we would still be looking at 8,000 to 10,000 students per year. There would be student accommodation challenges and so on but I would like to hear the plans made by the Department for Ireland to be able to attract all those additional students coming from Europe and all they can bring or contribute to our system now that the UK is not an option for them.