John McGahon (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Last week in my home town of Dundalk the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, was present for the announcement of €11 million for the advanced manufacturing training centre. That brings the total amount of Government funding for the centre to €25 million. This is the only centre of its kind on the island of Ireland. It is the brainchild of Martin O'Brien, the chairperson of the Louth and Meath Education and Training Board. The centre is allowing Ireland to compete on an international level when it comes to advanced manufacturing. It is enabling us to compete in new areas of technology, jobs and innovative science and creation - things such as green technology and cybersecurity. What we have done in Dundalk and that part of the north east is to provide the blueprint that other parts of Ireland should follow. It is important that we have an advanced manufacturing training centre in each region - in the north east, north west, south east and south west. As a nation, we can get much stronger by providing that information and ensuring other parts of the island can do it. It would be useful to have a debate in the new year on the advanced manufacturing sector, what we can do to enhance it and to compete on a wide scale international level. The centre in Dundalk has allowed us to mitigate some of the effects of Brexit by making sure people are trained up in certain sectors. It is also allowing us to compete in a volatile international market. The stronger the economy is, the better. I would very much appreciate a debate on how we can use the successful blueprint that has been provided in Dundalk and replicate it across the island.