Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister knows, I love having a chance to discuss Carlow people and Science Week allows me to talk about County Carlow's great 19th century scientist, inventor, educator and mountaineer, John Tyndall. As one of Ireland’s great scientists, he discovered, among many other things, the science of climate change and why the sky is blue, developed the sterilisation method called Tyndallisation and published what is considered the first book in English on mountaineering. Even a crater on the planet Mars is named in his honour. John was born in Leighlinbridge by the banks of the River Barrow and the legacy of his career is very much in evidence to this day. He shaped our understanding of climate change and outlined the effect gases could have on our atmosphere in the 19th century.

At a recent conference organised by the European Commission Representation in Ireland, attendees were told that Ireland has the potential for 80 GW of offshore wind to be developed and the more wind that is generated, the greater the need for solutions such as electricity interconnectors to export it and storage solutions such as hydrogen. It is hoped that contracts will be signed this month to begin the manufacturing and construction of Ireland’s first European electricity interconnector, the Celtic interconnector, a 700 MW subsea cable or electricity highway which will allow electricity to be exported between Ireland and France. Research into this interconnector was carried out in Cork's academic research and innovation hub, the Tyndall Institute, named after the Carlow man. John Tyndall’s first job was with the ordnance survey office in Youghal and Ireland’s first electricity interconnector with mainland Europe will come ashore in Youghal. History has come full circle.

This week is an important opportunity to ask how we as a forward-thinking country can support research to help meet the opportunities and challenges facing our society over the coming years. Because Science Week goes on for seven days and includes a wide variety of events involving industry, colleges, schools, libraries, teachers, researchers and students throughout Ireland, it is a fantastic opportunity for people all over Ireland to discover and engage with science. We can have that discussion because it is important.

We are so lucky in my constituency. Teagasc is running its Festival of Farming and Food. Our university, the South East Technological University, is the first technological university in the south east of Ireland and it has an centre for innovation, opportunity and growth. Carlow College, St. Patrick's, is the second oldest third level institution in Ireland and is a leader in providing platforms for scientific thought through lectures and public engagement on subjects such as literacy around environmental issues. Of course, all the schools in Carlow, including Tyndall College, are exploring science this week and its place in our lives. I encourage all of us to engage this week with our sciences and learn more about ourselves and the world around us.

See this speech in context