Education Policy Seanad Éireann — 2026-06-18 ============================================================ Maria McCormack (SF), Labour Panel I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House which gives me a chance to discuss this issue. I am delighted that this Commencement matter has finally been accepted at the fourth time of asking. I am raising an issue relating to STEM funding. I raised this issue following growing concerns across County Laois and the midlands regarding the future of the STEM education programme and in particular the funding of the STEM engagement officer role. A few weeks ago, we were all celebrating the incredible success of the Rosenallis National School robotics team which represented Ireland at the VEX Robotics World Championship in Missouri. These were pupils from a small rural school in County Laois competing on the world stage and making their community enormously proud. While we celebrate their achievement, the very supports that helped make that possible are now facing an uncertain future. In recent months, I have been contacted by schools, teachers and parents who are deeply concerned about what will happen if funding for the STEM engagement officer role is not continued. One letter in particular from The Swan National School, which is a three-teacher rural school with just 29 pupils, really struck me. They described how difficult it was to fully capture the impact the programme had on their school community. They spoke about the skills gained by the pupils, the enthusiasm for learning, the confidence built through teamwork and problem-solving and the excitement visible on children's faces as they experienced both success and setbacks together. This is what education should be about. I know this is an area the Minister of State is passionate about as well. What also stood out to me was the school's observation that while team sports receive significant funding and support, they do not appeal to every child. Programmes like VEX Robotics provide another avenue for children to experience teamwork, achievement and belonging. Laois does not have any university campus providing ongoing STEM outreach and support. Schools in County Laois rely heavily on initiatives under different funding models to ensure children have access to opportunities that children elsewhere may take for granted. During the recent national conference on education, children from schools across Laois identified VEX Robotics as one of the reasons they enjoy coming to school. Let that sit for a minute. At a time when we are hearing about attendance challenges and student well-being, children themselves are telling us that these programmes make school more enjoyable and meaningful. Surely we should be listening to that. Investment in STEM education is not simply an investment in schools; it is an investment in the future workforce, future employment and future economic development of Laois and the midlands region. Under the Just Transition Fund, four midlands counties, namely, Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and Longford, received €100,000 worth of equipment to roll out STEM engagement programmes. Nearly 5,500 students have benefited from STEM activities and equipment across four midland counties, with County Laois making up for one third of that number. This funding has now ended. I am asking the Minister of State to provide clarity on the future of the STEM engagement officer role and the STEM projects that were funded under this initiative; outline what discussions are taking place regarding replacing the fund; and, most importantly, ensure that the opportunities currently available to those children across Laois and the midlands are not lost. We should be building on the success of these projects and not allowing them to disappear. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-06-18/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:05+00:00 Sitting date: 2026-06-18