Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will raise three issues. I welcome the three-year strategy on research and development announced this morning by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris. It is a comprehensive document. It places greater emphasis on interdisciplinarity in research and refers to how we need to learn from the experience of Covid-19. The Minister is also committed to introducing underpinning legislation to strengthen our research capability. Given the enormous changes we will see in technology and some of the challenges we will be facing with climate change in the next decade, it is important that not only are we prepared for these developments but also that Irish research endeavours are able to contribute collaboratively to shaping some of these changes. Therefore, I ask that we have a debate on the research strategy and the importance of research in this country.

The Deputy Leader will be aware that much mention has been made in the news of the Irish Athletic Boxing Association, IABA. The Minister of State with responsibility for sport, Deputy Chambers, has indicated he will look at potentially withholding funding if action is not taken in the IABA to resolve some of its current difficulties. When we listen to former coaches and, more importantly, for me, some of the people involved in boxing on the ground talking about how dysfunctional this organisation is, it becomes clear something is wrong. When John Treacy appeared before the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media, I asked him if he thought this was a case similar to what happened with the FAI in the context of some of its past problems. He said he did not think it was. Frankly, based on the stories now emerging, this situation may be worse than what was going on in the FAI. Our only interest should be focused on being able to support young boxers and boxing clubs around the country. It is time for an independent person to be appointed to examine the IABA and the sport of boxing. It is too important a sport to this country to allow this issue to continue to be unresolved. I ask the Deputy Leader to raise this issue with the Minister.

The Deputy Leader will also be aware that Finland and Sweden this week submitted their applications to join NATO. It is not something I am suggesting Ireland should do, although I have said here that we should co-operate more closely with the non-aligned EU member states, such as Finland, Sweden and Austria. This development puts Ireland in a very different position.

The Deputy Leader will also be aware that I have regularly raised, as she indeed has herself, the question of food and energy security, as well as that of cybersecurity. We are not taking these issues sufficiently seriously. Considering the decisions made by Finland and Sweden, we must have a significant debate around Ireland’s future defence capabilities. I ask that such a debate be arranged urgently.