James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

I absolutely agree this is part of the response to the challenges posed by the changing trade and tariff situation. We are entering an age of deglobalisation. We also have many other factors to contend with. It is important we maintain that industrial base and that knowledge economy we fought so hard to develop over the past 30 or 40 years. The key to that is the knowledge economy and investment in research, innovation and education. In terms of stickiness, it is easier to move a factory offshore than it is to move a research hub because the deeper dive performed within the area, the harder it is to replicate it and move elsewhere. We need to continue and invest. That is why I am working with agencies like the IDA and Enterprise Ireland.

In terms of mobile talent, talent is our greatest natural asset, and we have some wonderful talent on this island. It is my job to nurture, foster, support and grow that through investment in education and all that we are doing. I am mindful there are many who may be considering relocating from the United States perhaps, or other jurisdictions due to changing trends in their home states. I recently put out a global talent initiative, which is a call to invite researchers from outside of Ireland, including the United States, to consider relocating here. Those people typically come in two categories, naming rising stars, which are young people on the up and who have made a name for themselves but are still forging their path through academia, and established people, who have a very strong record. Both types bring excitement, energy and often funding with them and can contribute significantly to the development of a particular area. I am going to single out Professor J.C. Seamus Davis, an academic in quantum computing in University College Cork. I visited his lab recently. He works in partnership with Tyndall National Institute. He is doing amazing, world-leading research in semiconductors, which is a key part of the global supply chain and a key part of Irish industry. He came through initiatives such as that a number of years ago. One or two people can bring such a critical mass with them that they can develop an entirely new hub or an entirely new research programme or collaboration.

I also intend to announce funding for a new research infrastructure programme in the next number of weeks which will set the foundation layer for equipment, laboratories, computing power and all the base layer that is required to build this because we need a solid foundation to let this work happen. It is critical to our economy and society that we should do so.

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