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

Carlow is a leader in research and innovation since the scientist John Tyndall first asked if the sky was blue. He was a great Carlow man. I always bring him up in the House. We witnessed the success of students from Tyndall College, Tullow Community School and St. Leo’s at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition just this month. We in Carlow are punching way above our weight in science. I welcome that Carlow’s South East Technological University, SETU, which has campuses in Carlow, Waterford and Wexford, is receiving €460,000 under the new distributed campus support fund.

I know how committed the Minister of State is to Carlow and to the development of all our educational needs. SETU Carlow has made an important change that will be central to addressing regional challenges, especially those relating to the green and digital transitions. The expansion of campuses and facilities and the development of new courses in areas of regional need deepen international partnerships and greatly enhances what SETU is doing in research and innovation. This is all in support of the development of the south east and that is so important. That is why I support this Bill.

Ireland's collective research and innovation investment in activities need to make as big a difference as possible to as many people as possible. We must maintain our excellence in the standard and quality of research and innovation undertaken. We must support the undertaking of research and innovation in all fields of activity and in all disciplines by researchers with different levels of knowledge, experience and specialist skills in such fields. I would go further and say that we have to look at ways of eliminating all financial barriers to those who seek to rise in STEM, activities across the country. That is the only way we will achieve the goal of this Bill and advance the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion with regard to opportunities to undertake research and innovation and in the undertaking of that research.

It is important we have a funding process with international good practice for research, again to promote and support the contribution made by research. It is about social, cultural, and environmental development and sustainability. We are living in a different age. Things are changing. The climate is a huge factor as well so there are a lot of obstacles there. I know we are very lucky in Carlow to be a university town but we also have Carlow College, St. Patrick's, which will also play a huge role in this. Previous speakers spoke about skills. Not everyone will want to go to college but they will all have their own skills and what they believe they are absolutely excellent at. Previous speakers mentioned chefs, plumbers, blocklayers and so on who are just as important. This Bill is really good and I really welcome it. SETU Carlow will be a game-changer for us.

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