Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 March 2021
637. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if officials from his Department have met with the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland to discuss higher education provision in the north-west region as outlined in the joint communiqué from the 25th North-South Ministerial Council meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11475/21]
View answerI am strongly committed to exploring potential North-South dimensions of provision in the region. Last October, I had a virtual meeting with Minister Dodds, when we discussed a number of areas of interest for cross-border collaboration between our Departments. My Department's management board also had a bilateral meeting earlier this year with their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Department of the Economy to discuss the full range of issues including provision in the north-west. It is also an ongoing agenda on the North-South infrastructure and investment senior officials group which comprises officials from both jurisdictions. My officials have also engaged with other stakeholders in the region in order to identify potential areas for greater collaboration in this area.
