Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)

I welcome the recent signing of the associate membership agreement between Ireland and CERN. It is a long-overdue step and Sinn Féin will support it. We commend those who have worked to bring it to fruition. Let me be clear, however: this membership is more than symbolic. It is a game-changer. Sinn Féin believes firmly in the transformative power of science and education. This agreement with CERN will unlock real opportunities, not just for our universities and institutions but for our students, researchers, SMEs and communities across the island, North and South.

CERN is a global centre of excellence. Its contributions to science and technology are world-renowned. It is where the world wide web was born in 1989. This was a revolutionary idea created by Tim Berners-Lee to share files, and now it is one of the greatest tools for global communication and information exchange. This is the kind of innovation that CERN is known for, and now Ireland has a seat at that table. We believe in making the most of what CERN has to offer for our students, our scientists and our future workforce. This partnership opens doors to training, internships, fellowships and cutting-edge research. CERN provides world-class training in physics, engineering, computing and data science, fields that are critical to Ireland’s future economy. The summer schools, the fellowships and the technical programs will help us retain our brightest minds and grow our STEM sector. These are not abstract ideas; they are real pathways for young people here to gain top-tier skills and experience. Importantly, this membership allows students to work in international teams, learn to solve global challenges and develop the collaboration and problem-solving skills that are so highly valued in today’s economy. Indeed, this is not only about academia. CERN is also a major economic opportunity. Irish SMEs will now be eligible to bid for high-tech procurement contracts worth hundreds of millions of euro each year. This creates scope for jobs, innovation and investment in Irish industry.

For an annual contribution of €1.9 million over the next five years, Ireland gains access to CERN’s scientific programmes. Our researchers will become eligible for fellowships and staff positions. Our businesses can enter competitive procurement processes. That is excellent value, but we still need clarity on key details. We need these clear answers. How exactly will Ireland’s financial contribution be managed? Are there costs associated with future CERN projects, like the future circular collider, that we are expected to shoulder? Are these costs in line with other international research partnerships we have joined? Sinn Féin supports research and innovation, but the public deserves transparency and assurance that this investment delivers for the whole island. This is central to our vision because CERN must be for everyone, not just the few. The potential of this partnership cannot be limited to those already privileged to access science and tech careers. We must use this opportunity to break down barriers to bring working-class communities, rural communities and disadvantaged students into the fold. CERN’s open, collaborative approach aligns with our vision for an Ireland that is fair, equal, and innovation led. Just as the world wide web brought the world closer together, CERN can be a tool to bridge gaps within our own society. Students from disadvantaged areas deserve to see what is possible. Visits to CERN, hands-on experience with global science and the chance to work shoulder to shoulder with world-class researchers - these are powerful motivators. They can inspire the next generation to dream big and achieve more.

Sinn Féin believes that talent and potential exist in every part of Ireland, from Belfast to Cork, from Derry to Donegal, and in every rural parish in between. This partnership must deliver North and South, urban and rural, fairly and equally. We already have excellent cross-Border scientific collaboration, such as the partnership between the Dunsink Observatory and the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium. Together, they have launched the Astronomical Observatories of Ireland, highlighting our shared legacy in astronomy. This CERN partnership must now build on that legacy and expand it. Through associate membership, we can create even more opportunities for all-island education, research and innovation. Students, researchers and businesses, regardless of where they are from, will work together in world-class scientific programmes. That means more shared growth, better education outcomes and stronger links across our island. We must ensure this becomes a reality.

CERN’s director for international relations, Charlotte Lindberg Warakaulle, recently told the Minister that Irish industry already has a strong footprint at CERN, even before we join as associate members. That is a powerful indication of the potential that lies ahead, but it also highlights the disadvantage our physicists have faced up to now. Many have had to emigrate to do leading research. That is not right and it is not sustainable. With this agreement, we must begin to change that, but we must follow through with action, support and a shared commitment to ensure that CERN benefits the many, not the few.

See this speech in context