Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 October 2021
171. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the efforts being made to ensure the availability of an adequate supply of graduates at third and fourth level in order to attract inward investment here in the specialised areas of medical science; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50144/21]
View answer172. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which adequate resources and expertise remain available to ensure sufficient emphasis and investment in medical science here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50145/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 172 together.
There are a number of key strategies in place at all levels to ensure we meet existing and future skills demands, including in the area of medical science. These include policies designed to ensure a pipeline of suitably qualified science and technical graduates, and initiatives to equip young people and the working population more generally with the skills and capacity to meet these demands. These strategies and initiatives include: the National Skills Strategy 2025; Technology Skills 2022; Springboard+; the Human Capital Initiative and the July Stimulus package.
I am keenly aware of how crucial STEM education more broadly is to Ireland’s growth as a world-class centre of innovation and research. On 18th May Minister Foley and I announced a new partnership to support education and public engagement in STEM. This partnership contributes funding to projects under the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Discover Programme, which aims to support effective interventions in early STEM education, help students engage with science subjects at an early age and foster interest in STEM careers.
The number of students studying STEM at third level has been growing, with the number of yearly graduates in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics increasing by 1,000 between 2014 and 2019, from 5,470 to 6,470. My Department will continue to engage with the Department of Education on their STEM Education Policy Statement to ensure that learners are given every opportunity to engage with the sciences, and ensure that pipeline of suitably qualified medical science graduates is maintained.
In respect of provision of specific courses, Higher Education Institutions are autonomous institutions under their relevant legislation. That means that they are academically independent and entitled to decide on their particular academic course content and provision.
