Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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My Department’s vision of a climate neutral, sustainable, and digitally connected Ireland requires transformative action across a wide range of areas, and research and innovation (R&I) are important enablers of our strategic goals. My Department is one of the five largest R&I-funding Government Departments, and, in Impact 2030, the national research and innovation strategy, has committed to developing the national R&I structure in support of its goals in climate, sustainability and digital transformation.

Unfortunately, ongoing disruption to the North South Ministerial Council has had negative implications for the work of the Council and for opportunities to support North-South research and innovation collaboration. There is currently no ongoing research commissioned under the remit of my Department through the North-South Ministerial Council, Shared Island Initiative or through other all-island arrangements. No such research has been completed or published within the lifetime of the current Government.

It is important that the Council returns to operation without delay to allow us to move ahead with new North-South initiatives, including the development of research projects that would benefit both jurisdictions.