Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

One of the most important elements of the New Decade, New Approach agreement and of all the preceding agreements, is the provision of educational innovation and research opportunities across the island. The agreement commits the Irish Government to delivering for the people of the North on a sustainable economic basis.

A post-conflict education system must be underpinned and permeated by the principles of the Good Friday Agreement, by parity of esteem, by mutual respect and by equality of opportunity. Indeed, the absence of an education system reflecting these principles will impede and delay the vision we all share for a new Ireland. The integration of third level education across this island is no threat to anybody's identity. Expanding and creating educational and subsequent employment and enterprise opportunities for everyone, regardless of their religion, their constitutional preference or where they live, is the responsibility we must all live up to. We must move beyond the pilot stage of models of good practice by resourcing and mainstreaming these models.

We must prioritise the removal of unnecessary barriers. One of the most obvious of these is the mutual recognition of professional qualifications in a post-Brexit environment. While I appreciate recognition is currently being given on a sectoral regulator-to-regulator basis, we need to establish a permanent framework, using the common travel area the protocol and bilateral agreements, to provide certainty and clarity.

The commitment in the New Decade, New Approach to bring pupils together from schools, North and South, from the national and unionist communities to discuss issues of mutual concern and learn from each other must be advanced. The target of 100 such cross-Border engagements per annum must be reached. Any delay on this initiative caused by Covid restrictions must be made up for.

The development of an all-island research hub is crucial to the sharing and maximisation of our expertise for the benefit of all communities. Research and development capacity is a key driver in economic growth and social development. While partition remains a fault line running through our society, we need to find ways to minimise its ability to separate us. Obviously, the conclusion to that is Irish unity.

The impact of partition is glaring when we look at the movement of third level students. Sadly, cross-Border enrolment on this island is extremely low. We have seen a decline of almost 40% over the past ten years in the number of students from this State studying in the North and students from the North make up fewer than 1% of enrolments here. This represents a complete failure of our young people. Going to university in Belfast should be the same as going to college in Cork. There needs to be one application system for colleges for all students across the island. The development of a technology university in the west and north west is an opportunity for us to link educational opportunities along the western seaboard to the Ulster University Magee campus and beyond.

My party leader spoke earlier about Acht na Gaeilge being a core component of the New Decade, New Approach. At the time, the Minister stated that it was a win for those passionate about the Irish language. We cannot ignore what is happening in respect of the Irish language in the North. As recently as last night, we had a situation at Lisburn and Castlereagh Council where my colleagues were interrupted and attempts made to shout one down when he opened his remarks in Irish. This cannot be allowed to continue. We need to play a part in condemning that and ensuring that it does not happen. The Irish language is a language for all. It is a language for the universal.

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