Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and the Minister of State for coming to the House. It is an historic day to create a new Department of further and higher education, research, innovation and science. As Fine Gael spokesperson for education and higher education, it is an honour to be here today to see that happening. My role in NUI Galway is working with excellent teams of engineers, such as the translation medical device team. Even most recently with Covid, it was working with healthcare professionals and the industry in Galway to develop the possibility of sharing ventilators. That demonstrates the importance of research, third level, industry and healthcare working together to deliver for society as a whole.

Reference has been made to Science Foundation Ireland, where I have also worked. The Department will be interesting for me, as, given my background, I know many of the players. CÚRAM, for example, is a centre for medical devices funded by SFI. This model is based on research funded by the State, through the foundation, and by industry. It shows how we are developing and ensuring that world-class research is available in our universities. In that way, we are embedding industry in this country as well.

Access to skilled graduates and research infrastructure shows why universities and third level are crucial to economic development in the region. SFI is the major agency funding competitive international peer-reviewed research in STEM areas. It has the core funding, four researchers and top-class institutes that has supported Irish universities to reach the top 1% in rankings worldwide. Funding programmes span all types of research, not solely in applied research as there is also frontiers for the future, which spans 14 research priority areas.

The new Department will also focus on new technological universities, in particular for the Connacht-Ulster alliance involving GMIT, IT Sligo and Letterkenny IT. There is a proposal for more than eight campuses in the region. As a former board member of Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board, I am delighted that the further education, training and SOLAS sections are now coming under the new Department. Further education and training, FET, and SOLAS courses are available up to level 6 and are aligned with the national framework of qualifications, NFQ, model. There are apprenticeships in engineering and accountancy, to name but a few. Courses are also designed and developed to respond to employers' needs. One could ask why that is so important now. It is because we are entering into a massive economic crisis. We need to ensure that our educational facilities are able to respond to it and that is what the FET sector is doing. There are courses for the employed and unemployed and there are lifelong learning opportunities under the skills to advance and the skills to compete initiatives at solas.ie. I encourage anyone looking to continue their lifelong learning, which we should all do, to log on tosolas.ie.

I am very pleased to note the €168 million in supports for students and the new strategy for FET, as outlined by the Minister of State. Areas of focus now for us in respect of skills gaps and future jobs are in healthcare, especially given the current crisis. Medtech, climate change and disruptive technologies are changing how we live and work. Creative skills graduates and access to research excellence allow businesses to continuously adapt and innovate and will ensure our ability to attract FDI and employment to all regions in Ireland.

The people of this country are our true wealth. The talent we have here is what attracts and embeds world-class industry and research teams - our graduates in science, technology, engineering, medicine and the arts. I am an arts graduate myself. Such graduates are sought across the world. Ireland's National Skills Strategy 2025 quotes the OECD secretary general, Ángel Gurría: "Skills have become the global currency of 21st century economies." Without proper investment in skills, people languish on the margins of society. Technological progress does not translate into economic growth and countries can no longer compete in an increasingly knowledge-based global society.

Ireland as a country has learning and education at its heart. From the monks in Clonmacnoise along the Shannon, shining a light across the world from the 6th century, to our trail-blazing strategies as a country when we made decisions that education would be available to all. Now we have a Department to drive investment and to ensure the university and third level sector can deal with the current challenges with Covid and ensure that we are looking at blended learning approaches that will create fantastic opportunities for learning at all ages.

Reference has been made to the challenges we face and to the Cassells report. How are we going to provide core funding to universities? How are we going to provide the infrastructure and research facilities to ensure that we can offer the best?I am proud to welcome this innovative Department for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. It is core to access to education, to our economic recovery, and will have societal and cultural impacts. Integrating opportunities for people across higher education and further education and training and focusing our funding to support investment in the third level sector will make Ireland a centre of learning and world-class research excellence for our future.