Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will come back to the Deputy but I have some questions now. The committee did a lot of work on the future of STEM in Irish education. A key recommendation in the committee’s report is that the proposed national children’s science centre in Earlsfort Terrace should receive full Government support to get up and running as urgently as possible. This would involve ring-fenced funding on a multi-annual basis. Some of those involved in the centre were in contact with the Department. I understand officials were to meet Áine Hyland, professor emeritus in UCC, and with other board members who had invested a great deal of time and effort into the national children’s science centre. While doing our report, I was struck by the dire situation where children are being encouraged to take up science subjects. If the Minister does not have the answer now, she might come back to us but can she confirm that officials from the Department met Professor Hyland? Has the Minister looked into this? Will she make it a priority in her Department?