Mr. Tim Conlon:

I thank Senator Malcolm Byrne for his question. North, south, east and west, we have a long tradition of collaboration, particularly in the research space. The capacity of the system is somewhat constrained. Particularly now, in a Covid context, the system is constrained in terms of delivering teaching and learning online, and having to have privilege. There are many things that we would like to do that we have not been able to do. As Mr. Hannigan said, the Letterkenny Institute of Technology is doing fantastic and important work in the Strabane-Derry-Letterkenny city region. There is an appetite in terms of the capacity of a system to respond and engage with some of the challenges, north, south, east and west.

In research, for example, the grand challenges are exactly that - they are bigger than one nation or one State. I am thinking, in particular, of work the HEA is carrying out on the national strategy in education for sustainable development 2030. Our shared island should be part of that. We are discussing that with our parent Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. I believe the system has capacity and it may need some enabling or freeing up to allow for that.

In terms of the work of the committee, I am sure members are conscious that some of these issues are cross-cutting. For example, education for sustainable development should be as much interest to this committee on a North-South and all-island basis because we share the same climate. In summary, there are lots of opportunities and it would be very useful if the committee called that out in its report.