Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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461. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which the number of graduates specialising in innovation, research and the sciences is likely to increase on an annual basis in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59060/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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From pre-primary through to further and higher education and throughout an individual’s career, skills and knowledge need to be continuously enhanced if individuals, employers and countries are to realise their potential.

I and my Department are determined to be the drivers of a vibrant sector which produces individuals who are equipped with the skills that they need to progress in the way that they want to, and in a way that meets the needs of our evolving economy and contributes to an inclusive society. Not only will these individuals be equipped with expertise in research and innovation but I am also determined that the sector will continue to embrace and embed innovation in how it delivers and operates.

Postgraduate education delivered by higher education institutions is critical to Ireland’s research system. In addition to contributing to knowledge, postgraduate researcher education drives participants to develop their own research skills that can be applied in a range of environments, in academia, in public service or industry, at home or abroad.

Figures from the HEA show that first year enrolments of postgraduate researchers (that is Research Masters and PhD students) have increased by 828 from 2,765 in the 2019/20 academic year to 3,142 in the 2020/21 academic year. This means that we have exceeded the Innovation 2020 targeted increase of 500 enrolments from the 2013/14 baseline (Action 3.5).

Overall, the number of postgraduate students enrolled in our HEIs has increased by 17% in both STEM and AHSS since 2014/15. As a result, we can expect a higher number of graduates in the coming years.

It is imperative that we continue to develop a pipeline of research talent if Ireland is to realise its ambitions under the new Programme for Government and the National Development Plan, and my officials are exploring this as part of the development of the next National Research and Innovation Strategy currently underway at my department.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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462. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to include innovation as a means of enhancing capability and reputation globally of Irish graduates on the global stage; the areas he plans to do this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59061/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As a small, open economy, Ireland relies on external demand and international markets for sustainable and continued growth. The market for innovation and research is also global – international cooperation in research and innovation plays an important role in the development and sustainability of a world-class innovation and research system.

The centrality of the higher education and research systems in the innovation ecosystem and the availability of high-quality talent from the tertiary education system are core to Ireland’s competitive position. The availability and quality of graduates is essential if we are to maintain our attractiveness as a location for investment and grow our reputation as a destination for a successful research career.

In this year’s European Innovation Scoreboard, in which Ireland is ranked the 11th most innovative Member State in the EU, Ireland performed well with its skilled workforce. Ireland came 5th overall and higher than the EU average in the Human Resources dimension, which measures the availability of a high-skilled and educated workforce. Within this, Ireland was 7th for New Doctorate Graduates, 3rd for Population completed tertiary education (aged 25-34) and 9th for Lifelong Learning.

Through engagement in bilateral cooperation, via research and innovation agreements, we build innovation capacity, facilitate researcher mobility, and allow for economies of scale. Our research funders in different sectors engage in international cooperation to seek to influence European and international agendas and also to assist developing countries in addressing their challenges. The manifold benefits of international engagement accrue not only to our researchers but also to our enterprise base and to our public policy makers.

I and my Department are determined to be the driver of a vibrant sector which produces individuals who are equipped with the skills that they need to progress in the way that they want to, and in a way that meets the needs of our evolving economy and contributes to an inclusive society. Not only will these individuals be equipped with expertise in research and innovation but I am also determined that the sector will continue to embrace and embed innovation in how it delivers and operates.

As international competition for talent, investment and innovation grows more intense as nations strive to improve their standing as knowledge based economies, the establishment of a new Department focused on talent and knowledge is an indication of the Government’s intent to position human capital and research as key enablers for our future economy and society.