Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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34. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to prioritise investment in the research areas of agriculture, forestry and horticulture which will be significant components of future carbon mitigation activity in the climate plan in the programme of a new TUSE; his views on whether these objectives go far enough to meeting obligations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49588/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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On 30 April 2021 the TUSEI consortium, comprising IT Carlow and Waterford IT, submitted an application under Section 29 of the Technological Universities Act 2018 seeking an order to dissolve both Institutes of Technology and to establish in their place of a technological university to serve the South East region.

I duly appointed an expert advisory panel to assess the application. The panel has forwarded its report to Board of the HEA in accordance with Section 32(1) of the 2018 Act. I am in receipt of the panel’s report, the Board’s views thereon and any other information considered relevant and I am considering all information with a view to making a decision on the application shortly.

I agree with the Deputy that climate change research is critical if we are to develop the technological and other solutions to reduce emissions and create just and sustainable jobs and opportunities for Irish people. To face the crisis, we will need breakthrough technologies and innovations; research and innovation will have a critical role to play.

My Department is currently developing the new National Strategy for Research and Innovation. This Strategy will underpin the role of research and innovation in addressing key economic and societal challenges, including positioning research and innovation at the heart of delivering on Ireland’s climate action. It will ensure that Ireland’s research and innovation system will continue to build capacity and capability to support the fundamental transition that Ireland’s economy will undergo over the next three decades in order to meet our climate change and inter-related environment targets.

With respect to investments, my Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority for direct disbursement to HEA designated higher education institutions. The HEA allocates this funding to the institutions via the recurrent funding model, and my Department respects institutional autonomy to prioritise its investments.

The Government’s policy of Research Prioritisation, aligns the majority of competitively awarded public investment in research, development and innovation with 14 priority areas that present market opportunities for Ireland and where there was a pre-existing, proven combination of enterprise relevance and research strength in Ireland.

The most recent refresh of these areas, which was published in 2018, includes the theme of Energy, Climate and Sustainability and the theme of Smart and Sustainable Food Production and Processing.