James Lawless
Kildare North · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“I am always open to feedback. The academics and authors of that report are entitled to their views, as are others. I just do not share all of their conclusions. As the Deputy said, the consultant spending was before my time. A lot of it was before the Department even existed.”
“More broadly, and this is something I think there is great potential to do more on, we are also promoting modern methods of construction, MMC, so we can embrace 2D or 3D models where they are either partially assembled off site and then brought to the location or almost fully assembled and the finished kit is brought into place.”
“In the energy space, that includes a commitment of €10 billion to enhance the grid capacity, because we need to be able to transit the energy as well as generate it, the workforce and the talent to do that - everything from retrofitting to green energy technicians and renewable energy engineers.”
“The capital funding envelop available to me is the mechanism through which I fund these projects, which is significant with €4.55 billion allocated across my Department for capital projects. SETU is the relevant institute in the south east, and it has multiple campuses, including a presence in the Xcelerate Centre at St.”
“I will recap on some of the measures I have introduced already because it is important to put them on the record again. In the previous budget, I was pleased to introduce the first ever permeant fee cut for students since free fees were introduced almost 30 years ago with a €500 permanent reduction.”
“Exactly. That is why we have a record €4.5 billion commitment across the sector. Regarding student facilities, there is the likes of the bundle 2 PPP programme which enhances student facilities on university campuses across the country.”
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“It is also something IBEC called for in correspondence with me and in its stated positions and it is being addressed in this Bill and other measures such as the research infrastructure programme I intend to introduce in the coming weeks. In this Bill alone, we are supporting 3,000 PhD students with additional stipends and research funding so that is a major step change and is very much consistent with the overall purpose of the Bill and the asks of organisations like IBEC. I am very much on board with all-island apprenticeship development and I am working on with the Minister for the Economy, Caoimhe Archibald, in Northern Ireland. Time is short so I will not go into that too much. The Minister of State has dealt with many of the issues. Deputy Conway-Walsh raised decarbonisation projects.”
“I thank the Minister of State for dealing comprehensively with a number of issues. I will take up any remaining issues. I thank Sinn Féin for its support for the Bill and engage with the comments its Members made. There is a funding deficit in the university sector that was well called out in the Cassells report and again in 2022 in the Funding the Future report, which built on that. One of the purposes of this Bill is to address that through the allocation of €150 million out to 2030 to close that gap, which is something I am very much determined to do. Deputies McGettigan and Conway-Walsh raised research funding and the need for investment. It was argued that the percentage of GDP we spend on research and development is not where it should, which I agree with. This is something I said consistently since being appointed as Minister.”
“I am committed to the continued use of the National Training Fund as a strategic national asset for reskilling and upskilling our existing workforce. This Bill will ensure that the NTF can also be used to fund capital expenditure on essential projects and facilities for reskilling and upskilling our workforce, which will assist in meeting the skills needs of our economy and progress the skills development agenda. I commend the Bill to the House and look forward to the debate.”
“Talent is our greatest natural resource. The success at the heart of Ireland’s economic model over the last 50 years has been our commitment to education, training and innovation. That commitment has transformed our workforce, economy and society. For the last 25 years, the National Training Fund has been a strategic national asset for reskilling and upskilling our existing workforce. It is central to providing the future workforce with the skills to be successful. The NTF has also been critical to unblocking some of the barriers to engagement in workforce development, such as by providing targeted supports to key cohorts. Businesses are the backbone of our economy and the Government is committed to creating an environment where they can thrive, innovate and drive job creation.”
“Decarbonisation will arise as part of refurbishment of infrastructure to enable space optimisation and adaptive re-se of existing building stock or other appropriate capital works that are necessary to provide appropriate facilities for the delivery of education, training and skills programmes. The objective of all works will be to enhance the learning environment, add capacity and aid the delivery of the skills needs of the country. There is ongoing engagement with the National Skills Council, the high-level skills implementation group, key Departments and others on a range of skills and labour market issues. This will continue to ensure effective usage of the NTF in meeting the skills needs of the economy and in progressing the skills development agenda. Talent and human capital are the bedrock of Ireland’s economic performance.”
“Some stakeholders raised some concerns in relation to ensuring that capital expenditure, including on decarbonisation projects, aligns with the purposes of the NTF. I have noted these concerns and assurance can be given that all NTF funding will be spent in accordance with the established purpose and original objectives of the fund. All infrastructure investment will be in accordance with the purposes of the Act and will add capacity in the system to deliver new skills programmes or expand existing skills programmes to benefit learners and industry, employees, employers and future employees.”
“All stakeholders agreed that the NTF funds should be used effectively and that spending should align with the fund’s core objectives. I have listened to the stakeholders on this issue and there are no amendments in this Bill that alter the core objectives of the fund. Stakeholders also stressed the importance of tracking and reporting on the impact of the NTF funding on raising the skills of those in employment and those taking up employment, including a request for publication of a comprehensive record of spending. I am awaiting receipt of an ESRI report to develop a framework to monitor and assess the effectiveness of the various schemes funded under the NTF. The recommendations will be reviewed on its receipt and this issue will be addressed.”
“It is important to note that these payments must be made in accordance with a scheme to raise the skills of those in employment, to provide training to those who wish to acquire skills for the purposes of taking up employment or to provide information in relation to existing, or likely future, requirements for skills in the economy. Section 2 contains the Short Title and commencement. This is a standard head in any legislation that sets out the Short Title by which the Bill will be known and allows for the commencement of the Bill. Consultation has been undertaken on the proposed amendments to the NTF Act with the key stakeholders including the National Skills Council and the high-level skills implementation group. There has been a general welcome for the proposed amendments including a welcome for the NTF budget package.”
“The Bill does not amend the purpose of the NTF Act, which is to fund schemes established to raise the skills of those in employment, provide training to those who wish to acquire skills for the purposes of taking up employment, or provide information on existing, or likely future, requirements for skills in the economy. The Bill contains two sections. Section 1 amends section 7 of the National Training Fund Act 2000. This section provides for the insertion of a new section 7(2B) to provide that payments from the National Training Fund in respect of a scheme may include payments in respect of the acquisition of lands, premises, furniture or equipment or the upgrading, construction or reconstruction, including repair and maintenance, of premises.”
“This funding will provide key education and training facilities and opportunities for employees and those seeking employment. The funding will also assist in meeting the existing and future skills needs for employers. The National Training Fund is a strategic national asset for reskilling and upskilling our existing workforce and the NTF funding package of nearly €1.5 billion will deliver a substantial and impactful investment to deliver the critical skills needed for the 21st century. I will now outline the main provisions of the Bill. As I said, it is short, modest and minimal but it is very important legislation. The Bill provides for minimal amendments to the National Training Fund Act 2000.”
“This will ensure that the new NTF expenditure announced in budget 2025 can be provided from 2026 onwards. Budget 2025 delivered a total NTF funding package of €1.485 billion over a six-year period from 2025 to 2030 for the tertiary sector, including €885 million in current funding, an increase in funding for higher education by a further €150 million per annum up to 2030, and one-off current funding of €235 million for the tertiary sector including skills and apprenticeships. Additionally, a €600 million capital uplift was provided to enable skills development, including facilities, in the areas of healthcare, veterinary skills and further education skills and to support universal access to skill provision. In the research and innovation sector, there was an increase to the PhD stipend among other things.”
“The legal advice received notes that an amendment to the NTF Act is required to facilitate capital expenditure on land and on infrastructure. Legal advice was also sought during the drafting of the Bill on whether an amendment to the NTF Act was required to facilitate core funding for higher education and research and innovation expenditure. The advice received was that an amendment was not necessary because facilitating enhanced higher education funding and research and innovation funding within the scheme met the purposes of the Act. Such expenditure is already in line with the targets and goals of the Act. The National Training Fund (Amendment) Bill, therefore, makes minimal amendments to the NTF Act and merely provides for capital expenditure from the NTF.”
“This significant NTF investment package provides for expenditure on new training and skills provision areas that were not previously funded, including enhanced funding for higher education, research expenditure, including increases in the PhD stipend, and capital expenditure. However, it is important to note that NTF expenditure on existing services will be retained. NTF expenditure increases general Government expenditure and it can only be accommodated within the fiscal strategy agreed by the Government. The new NTF surplus funding package, therefore, is encompassed within these ceilings. It is not additional to but is contained within the Department's fiscal ceiling. During 2024, when the progression of the fund was being explored and agreed, legal advice was sought on proposals to fund some capital expenditure from the fund.”
“Provision for upskilling of those in employment has increased from around 17.7% or €61 million of the total NTF allocation to circa 46% or €464 million of the NTF allocation in 2025. During 2024, consideration was given to how the NTF surplus could be most effectively accessed and utilised to meet the existing and future skills for employees, those seeking employment and employers, together with addressing the funding needs for further and higher education, within the spending parameters of the annual budget. The NTF surplus package announced in budget 2025 is a six-year plan to reduce this surplus through spending a total of €1.485 billion progressively over the period commencing this year.”
“Although that is high, it should be noted that a prudent level of reserves within the NTF, usually taken as an amount equivalent to a year's expenditure, is necessary to be maintained to guard against the uncertainties of the economic cycle and to ensure sufficient resources are available to deliver programmes when and as required. On four previous occasions where NTF expenditure has exceeded income, the accumulated surplus was then used to address the annual shortfall. The last time that happened was in 2014. The priorities underpinning the NTF have changed and varied over time depending on economic cycles and skills demands in the economy. Between 2014 and 2025, the funding priorities of the NTF have gradually changed.”
“The fund is financed through a levy on employers, which is collected through employers' PRSI contributions. Currently, the NTF levy is set at 1% on reckonable earnings, following annual increases of 0.1% across the budgets from 2018 to 2020. A key priority of the fund is to strengthen and shape existing skills and to develop new higher education and further education and training provision to ensure alignment with workforce reskilling, upskilling and lifelong learning requirements. This is essential to deliver on the talent needs of the economy and strengthen Ireland’s competitive position and our reputation for an agile and responsive workforce. At the end of 2024, the NTF's accumulated surplus was approximately €1.77 billion.”
“I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to have the opportunity to address the House and present the National Training Fund (Amendment) Bill. This Bill, as is evident from its Title, amends the National Training Fund Act 2000. The National Training Fund, NTF, was established by the National Training Fund Act 2000 as a dedicated fund to raise the skills of those in employment and to facilitate lifelong learning, provide training to those who wish to acquire skills to take up employment and provide information in relation to skills requirements in the economy. As Minister for further and higher education, I am responsible for the overall management, monitoring and evaluation of the fund, while the Minister for Finance manages and controls the investment account contained in the fund.”
“The Deputy is right; the cost will increase. The non-adjacent grant is greater for that reason. A student will receive more significant support if they live farther away from the college and it begins to taper down the closer they live to the college to reflect the fact they may not require accommodation or that their transport costs may be less if they live adjacent to the college. All the non-adjacent bands increased this year for that reason, to reflect the reality that it is going to be more expensive if a student is required to travel to their institution. The Deputy has made good points and I am happy to take them on board. I will continue to do so as we consider all these measures.”
“This might include a Gaeltacht placement, for example, on some courses or placements in healthcare institutions, as well as equipment purchases if a student has to purchase laboratory equipment, a uniform or other items. I have commissioned a pilot and have committed moneys to it in the current year to see what exactly could be helped in that regard, what courses need what supports on a custom basis and how we can do something that is fair and uniform. We can then develop that further in subsequent budgets once we have teased that out.”
“The Deputy makes an interesting point. The income thresholds have increased this year to €120,000 so Members of the Oireachtas would qualify for SUSI support, which I think may be a first. It is at a significant level and it has certainly gone beyond those who may be at risk of poverty or are on lower incomes. They rightly receive more support but up to €120,000, families are now in receipt of SUSI supports, which is very progressive and is the highest it has ever been. Regarding regional balance, which I think the Deputy alluded to in his question on students who may be attending other institutions and may incur greater costs, one of the things I am exploring in this budget, and I have set aside some money for a pilot, is the cost of placements.”
“It is one of the reasons we are pursuing the student accommodation strategy so vigorously. There have also been measures like the student Leap card discounts on public transport in recent years, which I also highly support.”
“The reason it is done at night is that Google Maps, as we know, can direct us through all kinds of weird and wonderful routes, depending on traffic patterns or congestion at different times or accidents. The simplest way to get an as-the-crow-flies reading is to do a 1 a.m. calculation using Google Maps from the home to the college. That is how it is calculated. That method is universally applied across the board. I appreciate there are always going to be edge cases and hard cases but the method is applied equally and universally on the basis of fairness to all students. I have mentioned the additional increases in the maintenance grants for non-adjacent students and the fact the range was recently reduced to 30 km. I appreciate this is always going to be a challenge.”
“I thank the Deputy. I am conscious of the cost pressures on students who must pay for student accommodation or those who commute. Some may decide to commute instead and that is equally arduous because of the costs and time associated with that. The grant scheme recognised this by increasing the amounts available this year for non-adjacent students. In recent times, the non-adjacency distance has also been reduced from 45 km to 30 km. That is a progressive move that will bring more people into the non-adjacent net and they can then receive additional supports as a result. SUSI calculates the distance by measuring the shortest, most direct route from the applicant's normal residence to the higher education institution. It uses Google Maps to do it and uses the time of 1 a.m.”
“It is so important that we allow students to have a roof over their head and avoid commuting. I ask the Deputy to look at her own party. I have written to Deputy McDonald on this. Her own councillor, Ciarán Ó Meachair, is opposed to student accommodation. He put out a leaflet just last month about opposition to student accommodation developments. We cannot speak from both sides of our mouth. I have invited Deputy McDonald to clarify that issue. I have written to her but have not received a reply. I do not know if the Deputy expects her to address it today. The Deputy comes into the House and rightly says we need student accommodation - I agree with her - but she should tell Sinn Féin councillors to stop opposing and objecting to such accommodation.”
“I thank the Deputy. The first phase of the previous strategy set a target of 7,000 units and 8,000 were delivered, 1,000 above target. Of the second much more ambitious figure of 54,000 units, 49,000 were achieved, which is 91% of the target, at a time of Ukraine, Covid, Brexit and the supply chain crisis. That is a reasonably good foundation on which to build. I am not happy with service charges being levied on students and I have made that clear. I have written to some of the higher education institutions that were engaged in that practice to express my dissatisfaction and frustration. I have put a marker down that this should not be the case. We all have to find common cause on this and work together to maximise and optimise the supply of student accommodation.”
“One of the reasons I increased maintenance grants for non-adjacent students in this year's budget was to reflect the reality that additional accommodation costs and indeed transport costs for those living a bit further way in a non-adjacent setting can be challenging.”
“That is very much the plan and what will be contained in the new strategy when we put all the bits of the jigsaw together and launch it. That will then guide everybody from local authorities to people in construction to the different higher education institutions to progress. The actions in the last plan have progressed. That is why the €100 million in the short-term activation fund is there. That is why I was able to turn the sod at UCD recently and why we were able to bring on stream the new beds in Maynooth. There are others within that programme that we expect to come good through that scheme in the new future, because it is important that we maximise the availability of accommodation. We have other measures and supports such as the rent tax credit.”
“I am working with the technological universities, TUs, through the technological sector student accommodation programme, which is an activation measure through which supports are provided to allow the TUs to develop their own accommodation and to support them in progressing that. I intend to publish the long-term student accommodation strategy, which is a work in progress at the moment, by the end of this year. It will include a range of measures across viability, affordability, increasing supply and maximising the amount of accommodation to make sure it is available to students. I am also working with the Minister, Deputy Browne, on the rent pressure zone legislation, which is expected to come through the House shortly to ensure it contains adequate protections for students.”
“That will deliver 493 new student beds. I also opened Maynooth University's 116-bed project at the start of September in Teach Uí Bhuachalla, or Buckley House. We have other measures, including things like VAT. In the recent budget, we reduced VAT from 13.5% to 9% on new apartment construction. I engaged with the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, on that measure to ensure it will help to unlock up to 15,000 additional student beds that have planning permission but have not progressed. Some of that is because of viability and cost issues. In June, I published the Design Guide for State Sponsored Student Accommodation. That will support the optimisation of capacity in new developments and should also accelerate the delivery of that accommodation.”
“This is something I am very aware of and very keen to make progress on. It is multi-faceted; it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. My immediate and short-term focus has been on enabling stalled projects to proceed by tackling the viability issues. The €100 million in the short-term activation programme has been put aside for this purpose. Under that programme, some beds are reserved for priority students under the national access plan at reduced rents on a 30% basis. Therefore, 30% of beds are ring-fenced for SUSI recipients for a period of 30 years. Measures like that are very important in any State-funded accommodation. As part of that programme, I approved funding of €67 million just last month to enable UCD to enter into contracts. Indeed, I turned the sod with President Orla Feely out there a few weeks ago.”
“That is the starting point for the first budget in the first term and I am proud to be able to deliver the first permanent cut in fees in 30 years. As well as that, and just as important, I have increased maintenance grants for all non-adjacent students for the first four bands and the special rates, which are bands one, two and three, which will make a significant difference to those families on lower incomes or at risk of poverty and target money towards those students. There is also money for students with mental health issues and disabilities. I have increased the threshold so that lower income households should not be paying fees at all and middle-income families will receive significant support, given the salary band below which students can receive supports is now €120,000.”
“Again, it is about choices. It is about managing with limited resources to provide the most support in a targeted and progressive way. I am confident that I have achieved that as best as I can this year with the resources available to me through a universal cut to the student contribution fee. I appreciate that it is more than students paid last year. I get that because they had a voucher last year which expired on 31 December and was not there this year. The budgetary situation meant that there was less money there to change that. I cannot cash in that voucher and neither can any student. I can give them something permanent that they can take this year, next year and every other year. We may well develop that further.”
“I cannot speak to previous budgets because I was not a Minister or part of those Governments, but cost-of-living supports were provided at difficult times through Ukraine, Covid and the cost-of-living crisis, and that made sense at the time. We are now into a different dynamic. I was keen to do something that was permanent, costed, sustainable and within the baseline of my Department. That means it is there to stay and the uncertainty and anxiety of will-they-won't-they every summer is gone. There is a €500 permanent cut there to stay.”
“Everything comes out of people's pockets because State resources are taxpayers' money and we all have to have respect for and be judicious in how we spend them. I am always very careful how I spend taxpayers' money which comes out of their hard-earned pay packets. It is important that we do this in a way that is socially just, progressive and targeted, and gets the most support to those who need it the most. I hope the Deputy agrees with me on that because it is a fundamental principle. If she does not, I would be interested in knowing why. Third level education is my remit and the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and others can talk about the other systems. Spending €628 million on fees alone is a significant annual support. There are other initiatives.”
“What would we cut by €1.6 billion in order to do that? I would be interested in hearing the views of the Deputy on that. Perhaps I will come back to the other points in supplementary replies because the clock is ticking.”
“The fee for the 2025-26 year is not yet known because we are still in it. It is expected to be of a similar magnitude. We arrived at that figure through a number of ways. The free fees initiative and tuition fees come to a cost of €380 million. The contribution fee was €147 million last year, when there was €1,000 to address the cost of living. The student contribution fees paid by SUSI come to €101 million. That adds up to €628 million. That is the figure the Deputy asked for in terms of cost. Sinn Féin's prebudget submission suggested that we cut the cost in years one and two by €1,500 and abolish fees in years three, four and five. That would cost about €1.6 billion. It is not clear whether the proposal extended to apprenticeships and postgraduate qualifications, etc. I would welcome clarification on that from the Deputy.”
“That is not quite the question the Deputy asked but I will answer. The question she asked concerned the cost of third level fees. My Department provides significant funding for tuition fee supports for students every year, including funding under the free fees initiative, which are sometimes referred to as tuition fees. Every undergraduate student in the State, bar certain exceptions such as those studying a second time or international students, has their tuition fees paid in full by my Department. There are also things like the student grant scheme, Springboard and a student contribution fee, which is on top of the tuition fees which are paid in full. Despite being referred to as free fees, someone has to pay for them. The State pays for them, and is glad to do so. Last year, the cost was €628 million.”
“They can then be QQI awarded and given points for that, which they can then use to apply to the CAO directly, coming through what we call a QQI pathway rather than the traditional leaving certificate points system. There are also the tertiary courses I mentioned. There are a number of different options. There is everything from specialist industrial skills to people pursuing knowledge and hobbies and gaining confidence to come outside the home and pursue education. There is a range of different courses and objectives. I would consider them all of significant value.”
“There is a lot there. If I do not get to it all in 60 seconds, I will come back to Deputy Timmins. ETBs provide a very valuable role across a number of areas and a number of goals. I never regard an educational course as a tick box. The pursuit of knowledge is a public good. Whether someone is in the labour force, is unemployed or has disabilities, it is always a benefit to the individual and to society if they progress their education to whatever extent, short or long. There are many different paths through it. We have early school leavers who avail of community training centres. There are specialist training providers in the system for people with disabilities. There are community education organisations. Some learners will progress a FET qualification.”
“I have visited a number of ETB schools, which have both second level and further education going on in the building. I was in Gorey Institute of Further Education recently and Mullingar Community College not so long ago and a number of what we call dual schools. They could do a body of work promoting options within them. Indeed, non-ETB schools could do the same. I am not going to trespass on Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy McEntee's area because second level education and guidance counselling, etc., comes under her remit, but that is something we would all be supportive of.”
“I fully agree with Deputy Timmins. There are a couple of ways to look at this. The promotion of further education options and apprenticeships is really important. We have a job of work to do as a country and a society in persuading people of that and advocating for it. I make the argument every day that apprenticeships and further education in general should never be seen as second best or some kind of rung below. They are absolutely equal, exciting, tangible and can be a very rewarding pathway into a career as a first-choice option. That is a message we need to repeat. We must align our access to education through combined pathways and continue to promote that message through guidance counselling and all those areas. It is key we do that.”
“I mentioned the tertiary programmes where learners can start closer to home in a more comfortable, familiar setting without the attendant commuting, etc., and can progress to a third level institute beyond that.”
“Traineeships, apprenticeships and specific skills training focus on work-based learning and direct employment pathways through the ETBs. We have visited many local ETBs, as has Minister of State, Deputy Harkin. We have both gone around them over the past number of months and continue to be impressed by the work they do. They engage with the regional skills fora, with local employers and local industries, to ensure the needs of labour force is being met. ETBs also work with higher education institutions - the universities, the colleges, the technological universities - to create pathways from FET into higher education and qualifications beyond level 6.”
“This ranges from foundational skills such as literacy and numeracy, entry-level type courses, through to bridging programmes such as Youthreach, an incredibly important programme, at levels 3 and 4 going on to levels 5 and 6, including post-leaving certificate courses which involve progression to employment or higher education. The tertiary degrees are a wonderful initiative where a student can commence learning at a local ETB or further education centre, take a level 5 or level 6 qualification and go on to attend university for a level 7 or level 8 qualification. It takes away the fear factor or confidence factor of making that leap. They can take a smaller step locally but can then progress to a third level qualification beyond that.”
“The 16 ETBs are the backbone of further education and training, FET, context in local communities. They were established under the Education and Training Board Act 2013 and are funded and overseen by SOLAS, the further education and training authority, which is funded by my Department. The ETBs play a critical role in supporting inclusion, community involvement, outreach, developing critical skills, and underpinning the workforce development and lifelong learning agenda as part of the wider tertiary system. Provision in the FET sector includes accredited programmes at levels 1 to 6 on the national framework of qualifications, NFQ, as well as unaccredited options.”
“I also intend to announce funding for a new research infrastructure programme in the next number of weeks which will set the foundation layer for equipment, laboratories, computing power and all the base layer that is required to build this because we need a solid foundation to let this work happen. It is critical to our economy and society that we should do so.”
“Both types bring excitement, energy and often funding with them and can contribute significantly to the development of a particular area. I am going to single out Professor J.C. Seamus Davis, an academic in quantum computing in University College Cork. I visited his lab recently. He works in partnership with Tyndall National Institute. He is doing amazing, world-leading research in semiconductors, which is a key part of the global supply chain and a key part of Irish industry. He came through initiatives such as that a number of years ago. One or two people can bring such a critical mass with them that they can develop an entirely new hub or an entirely new research programme or collaboration.”
“In terms of mobile talent, talent is our greatest natural asset, and we have some wonderful talent on this island. It is my job to nurture, foster, support and grow that through investment in education and all that we are doing. I am mindful there are many who may be considering relocating from the United States perhaps, or other jurisdictions due to changing trends in their home states. I recently put out a global talent initiative, which is a call to invite researchers from outside of Ireland, including the United States, to consider relocating here. Those people typically come in two categories, naming rising stars, which are young people on the up and who have made a name for themselves but are still forging their path through academia, and established people, who have a very strong record.”
“I absolutely agree this is part of the response to the challenges posed by the changing trade and tariff situation. We are entering an age of deglobalisation. We also have many other factors to contend with. It is important we maintain that industrial base and that knowledge economy we fought so hard to develop over the past 30 or 40 years. The key to that is the knowledge economy and investment in research, innovation and education. In terms of stickiness, it is easier to move a factory offshore than it is to move a research hub because the deeper dive performed within the area, the harder it is to replicate it and move elsewhere. We need to continue and invest. That is why I am working with agencies like the IDA and Enterprise Ireland.”
“Many areas of public need can now be met by that and require that power. I am keen that we remain at the forefront of that. Deputy Timmins is absolutely right about collaboration with industry and how we make sure that lands and succeeds. Some of the things I want to embed or offer as ancillary supports for postgraduate students include communications and enterprise modules. Start-ups and spin-outs should be encouraged as well. Yes, we want researchers publishing citations, papers and publications but we also want to see campus companies beginning to come out again, giving enterprise a lift. There are some collaborations; iBio in UL is one such collaboration with industry. I would like to develop more programmes that are copartnered.”