Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As to whether we have everything we need in terms of structures, the establishment of this new Department and the decision of the Taoiseach to facilitate that has been a good step. No longer are higher and further education a little bit of that Department and research, science and innovation located in another. Having a Minister, a Minister of State, a Secretary General and civil servants working on these issues full-time has been important.

We have brilliant agencies, such as Science Foundation Ireland, the Irish Research Council, the Higher Education Authority and SOLAS. We need to make sure none of us work in silos. One job for me and the Minister of State is to put the policies in place and make it clear as to who must do what. It is not this plan, that plan and the other plan but one plan for Ireland that is needed in these areas and a clear understanding of who is responsible for the delivery of each element of it. Less than a year in, we are making good progress. This is an important year in terms of putting those building blocks in place in policy and reform and we are up for it.

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