Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I certainly welcome the opportunity to contribute to today’s important debate. As a STEM ambassador and as someone who has worked within the life science sector, within med tech and the pharmaceutical biologics industry and also as a former science teacher, it is great to be able to highlight Science Week, which aims to celebrate science in our daily lives, in our national Parliament. Science, technology, engineering and maths are all areas which play a key role in each of our lives, oftentimes without our recognising it. Science Foundation Ireland continues to do a great job and this year’s Science Week focus on creating our future is a national conversation between the general public, the research community and policymakers. I attended the Creating our Futures roadshow event in County Mayo last month and it was an excellent opportunity to engage and encourage the people of Ireland to inform the direction of Ireland’s research and, most importantly, the people that research serves. It is worth noting that the opportunity to contribute still remains and for those who are tuned in tonight, we ask that people submit their ideas about what research in Ireland should explore to create a better future. There is a dedicated online portal which is open until Tuesday, 30 November, and I encourage as many as possible to log on to creatingourfuture.ie.

I am increasingly conscious of not just focusing on STEM exclusively but also acknowledging the importance of STEAM, which also includes the arts, be it through language or critical thinking approaches.

Just as everybody involved in forging political solutions does not necessarily have to have a background in law or politics, not everyone who brings solutions to research problems needs to be a scientist or an engineer.

We have to be realistic about the fact that some of the major challenges over the coming years may be problems we are not aware of today. The experience of the past 18 months has shown us, first-hand, the importance, necessity and benefits of science in battling the pandemic. It played a key role in understanding diagnostics, testing and all the work towards developing vaccines, and now the administering of booster shots. It was a remarkable turnaround in terms of speed and innovation, and a great example to young people of the power of science.

Our challenges in the context of climate action, well-being, sustainability and reinforcing our agriculture and agrifood sector will be greatly advanced by solutions that have not yet been developed. However, it is important to promote actions, such as Science Week, to encourage people to think proactively about those solutions now for the years ahead. If we look at some of the biggest companies around the world compared with those ten or 20 years ago, very few banks would have approved loans for companies whose business models bucked the trend. Today, the biggest taxi providers in the world own no cars and the biggest accommodation providers own no beds. Similarly, with technology, two of the biggest social media companies in the world produce no content but are growing through the use of personal content.

We depend on science for a better society. It is fitting that Science Week is happening as a number of new technological universities, TUs, are being designated, including the new TU for the west and north west, encompassing Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, GMIT, Sligo IT and Letterkenny IT. This simple step of bringing university locations closer to people, and the areas they serve, is an important step forward. These TUs will play a key role in developing a future workforce ready to build on the work of today and prepare for the work of tomorrow in whatever shape or form that emerges over time.

This Government has certainly prioritised research, innovation and science, along with further and higher education, through a newly created Department. I have to recognise the Minister, Deputy Harris, and the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, who are doing Trojan work in this area. I strongly believe that science will form the backbone of plans for economic recovery and sustainability. As a parent who is still learning, I recognise that we must teach science to our children and to hose who want to learn it. Fostering an interest in science will greatly aid future education and consolidate our scientific workforce for the future. Every step in the right direction now will improve solutions available in future years.

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