Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)

I am delighted to contribute to this debate today during Science Week. As spokesperson for this area, I have had the pleasure over the last number of months of meeting many groups, organisations and people working in this area. I would like to talk about the main issues that could prevent us from being a world-class leader in science if they are not addressed.

We need to ensure that our primary schools are fully resourced for those naturally inquisitive minds that children have. The Minister talked about curiosity and I agree with him 100%. Curiosity for science starts when children are very young and we need to harness that all of the way through our education system.

Each year, primary schools can put forward projects for Science Blast. In January, I went to visit it and my mind was blown away by the projects there. I am not sure if the Minister of State was there but it was something else. One of the schools in my constituency, Griffith Barracks Multi-Denominational School, asked which was better, hearing or reading? They tested 54 people and their results showed that people did better when they heard the instructions. They said that the judge praised them highly and I am praising them again now. It was a fantastic project. What is fantastic about starting to explore science in primary school is that it stops the growth of any barriers to who can be a scientist and all of the stereotypes that can be fed in as children go along. However, every primary school has to be fully equipped with materials and resources to be able to harness that curiosity.

At second level, there are also concerns. At a recent meeting of the education committee, we heard from teacher unions and organisations about leaving certificate reform. The Irish Science Teachers' Association said that because there had not been the necessary investment at second level in science laboratories in particular, there were health and safety risks due to insufficient space for lab work, a lack of safety guidance and no risk assessment protocols. That needs to be set out under the new curriculum reform. I understand that the Minister wants to work on this. If we go to the bother of reforming the curriculum to make it the best it can be, it is imperative that we put the resources behind that.

The I Wish survey revealed that girls in all-female schools continued to face greater barriers to studying STEM subjects. The Department of education's indicator report in 2024 showed that only 71% of girls were offered STEM subjects other than maths and sciences as opposed to 96% of boys in boys schools. The research showed that while girls' STEM achievement had improved in mixed schools, stereotypes in mixed classrooms still limited their participation and confidence. Construction studies was available in 84% of co-educational schools but in only 5% of single-sex girls schools. Engineering was available in 74% of co-educational schools but only in 6% of single-sex girls schools. That is a huge disadvantage for those girls. We need to seriously look at our school structures and make sure that they are not disadvantaging young people based on their gender or indeed, where they are from or their socioeconomic background.

If we are to stay as world class as we are in STEM, that needs to be addressed fundamentally. The Minister needs to take leadership on that. That goes for all Ministers working in education, as both Departments have responsibility for that. Youth services are really challenging the issue. They are working in areas and providing really good STEM projects. In the South West Inner City Network, SWICN, in Dublin 8, there is a project with a 3D printer, which is a fantastic resource. That is beneficial to young people, particularly in disadvantaged areas.

At third level, there are initiatives to address STEM. Today would not be a good day to fail to mention Dr. Katriona O Sullivan's STEM passport for inclusion, because the work she has done has seen 5,000 young women go through that programme learning about STEM. They have experienced it not just at school, but elsewhere. That allows young people to believe they can be whatever they want to be. They experience that hands on, harnessing that curiosity. I praise Dr. O'Sullivan and Maynooth University to ensure it is rolled out to as many young people as possible. The students in Clogher Road Community College in my constituency are taking part in it and I look forward to visiting them as they do that.

I recently met staff of the Amber Centre, hosted by Trinity College. I was fascinated to see its programme and how its pillars link in with industry. A lot of people talk about talent. It is not my favourite word when we talk about people and their interest in STEM, but if that is the way we describe it, that is fine. I was struck by the people in that fantastic centre saying that the equipment they had was out of date. How they explained it to me was - I do not really want to name things, but I will - it was the equivalent of having a Nokia "blockia" rather than the most up-to-date iPhone or such phone. If we want to be the best we can, we cannot be working with out-of-date equipment. Like the Minister said, we need to be looking at materials and instruments that are for the future, not the past.

I am delighted to speak about science today. The Social Democrats takes it very seriously. We celebrate the things that are going well. To be the best we can in the world, we need to make sure we have the resources. I commend the Minister on his passion in this area. I will say that. His interest in the area has moved us on quite a lot.

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