Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

While I am mainly referred to as the Minister for higher education in the Department of higher education, that is only part of it. It is the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. That is not just to have a number of words in the title. The key element here is to bring some of the functions that were in the old Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation together with the higher education sector to plan for the future. The Taoiseach and the Government feel very strongly about that. For the first time in the history of the State, more than 50% of publicly funded research is under the auspices of one Department and Minister. That makes sense. Science Foundation Ireland, SFI, will not be under the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment any longer as, from the start of next year, it will be under my Department alongside the higher education institutions, so we can work together on ensuring Ireland is a real leader when it comes to research, innovation and science.

Innovation 2020 is the current national strategy for research and development, science and technology. It acknowledges the importance of having a pipeline of skilled and talented individuals playing a critical role in innovation provision and development. The development of a country’s talent entails lifelong investment and commitment on the part of both the individual and the State. From pre-primary through to further and higher education and throughout an individual’s career, skills and knowledge must be continuously enhanced if individuals, employers and countries are to realise their potential. Innovation 2020 calls for strengthened science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM, teaching and learning at primary and post-primary levels - this is important as it is too late to begin these subjects at third level - and more initiatives to promote young people's and the wider population’s interest and participation in STEM.

At postgraduate level, the Irish Research Council funds graduates across all disciplines and is an important component in the wider national strategic pursuit of a strong talent pipeline of research graduates. SFI has commenced a programme to support advanced PhD skills and training, in collaboration with industry, for the new economy. There is a number of SFI centres for research training linked to the higher education institutions and there is an ambition to do more. The six we have currently are supporting over 700 PhD students in ICT and data analytics. The first 120 students commenced in September 2019.

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