Challenges
Brexit creates a number of challenges in these sectors, with key concerns including:
– The future of EU funded programmes involving the United Kingdom, including the Erasmus+
Programme and PEACE/INTERREG funding;
– Mobility of students between the UK and Ireland, particularly issues pertaining to freedom
of movement and university fees;
– Mutual recognition of academic and professional qualifications and the future of crossborder
apprenticeships;
– There is a need for Ireland to attract additional researchers, and there are related challenges
regarding infrastructure to attract new talent as well as investment.
– The promotion and development of the Irish language in Northern Ireland.
– The Committee heard that the UK is considered a leader in scientific research and innovation
Research, Education and Irish in Numbers
– As of February 2017, researchers in institutions and companies in Ireland have won a total
of €386 million in EU funding from Horizon 2020.
– In 2016, 2,421 students from the UK were studying in Irish third level institutions.
In 2017, the number of UK students in Irish colleges has increased to 2,812.141
– It is estimated that by 2020, four million people will have participated in the Erasmus
Programme.
– In the Erasmus Programme, the UK receives 30,183 students from other EU countries and
14,801 UK students attend universities in other EU countries.
– 4,200 people in Northern Ireland stated their main language is Irish in the 2011 Census of
Northern Ireland, while 11% of respondents had some ability in Irish.
Research
– The maintenance of strong collaborations between Ireland and the UK in the area of
scientific research.
– Ireland should put more emphasis on leading and winning research projects within the
Horizon 2020 framework programme and future framework programmes.
Talent
– There is an opportunity to attract academics from the UK. This, as a solution, may need to
be integrated with infrastructural projects for building more housing and office space, as well as with the additional funding of research and an ability to enhance remuneration
packages for notable academics.
Erasmus Programme
– The continued participation of the UK in the Erasmus Programme is essential, particularly
as English is a working language of the EU. EEA Member States and Turkey all have access
to this Programme. Switzerland is currently suspended from the programme due to
restrictions on the free movement of people, which has resonance with the Brexit
scenarios
Third Level Education Generally
– The safeguarding of current equivalence for EU students from third-level fees should be
considered in the UK and for UK students in either the whole EU or in Ireland. Generally,
non-EU students have to pay full rates of tuition fees. The ideal solution is the continuance
of current arrangements between the UK and the EU (as part of the agreement on their
future relationship).
– The creation of a single education sector or area for Irish and Northern Irish students,
either as a temporary measure or permanent arrangement, is another solution which may
mitigate the impact of Brexit.
Gaeilge / Irish Language
– Preserving access to Irish-medium education should not be impeded as a result of Brexit.
The Committee heard that continued access to Irish-medium education for students from
Northern Ireland is important for developing the Irish language in Northern Ireland.
– Solutions previously discussed on the protection of cross-border workers, including the
continuance of the Common Travel Area and a soft border in the context of travel apply
equally to organisations working in the Irish language sector.
Young People and Brexit
– Full utilisation by Ireland of funds such as the Global Adjustment Fund and the Youth
Guarantee should be explored.
Research and Higher Education
The Committee heard that Brexit presents the opportunity for Ireland to attract academics and
researchers who may wish to leave the UK, but at least three challenges have already been identified including the provision of office space, pay and access to housing. A solution offered by Trinity College Dublin was the enhancement of remuneration packages for notable academics. Similar to concerns in attracting FDI, attracting researchers may be impacted by housing availability.
The Committee heard that as 88% of scientific collaboration on successful EU programmes does not involve the UK, Ireland is not overly dependent on the UK for scientific collaboration, and this could be managed with good planning and through diversifying the funding base. In contrast, the
Committee heard that Northern Ireland is very dependent on Ireland for its collaborations. The
Committee suggests that this may be alleviated through including Northern Ireland in the EEA or
establishing a single education area on the island of Ireland.
Erasmus Programme
The Committee heard that the Erasmus Programme is one of the EU’s greatest success stories.
Representing the European Youth Forum, Mr David Garrahy told the Committee that “Erasmus is a fundamental way for Europe to start discovering and knowing itself”. The Committee heard that
young people in the UK seem to recognise this as, between 2007 and 2014 the number of UK
participants in Erasmus increased by 115%.143 The Committee observes that continued engagement of the UK in the Erasmus Programme may be instrumental to strengthening its future relationship and good understanding with the EU and for EU students to understand the UK.
Inclusion in Erasmus may be impacted by choices made on the free movement of people and the
Committee notes that members of the EEA, as well as Turkey and Switzerland participate in the
Erasmus programme. The continued inclusion of the United Kingdom is therefore possible. In 2014, Switzerland was suspended from the Erasmus Programme following restrictions it placed on the free movement of people. The Committee heard that this suspension is still in force, with Swiss students currently unable to access the programme. The UK’s position on free movement is therefore very important to continued participation.
Fees
The Committee heard that Brexit may result in fees for UK students of €18,000 to €20,000 per year as non-EU students in EU universities, which may mean that many students may not be in a position to attend third level education in Ireland as they have in the past. The Committee heard that Ireland could offer guarantees in this respect, but with significant financial impact, the ideal solution is continued cooperation on access to education in the final agreement on the EU-UK future relationship.
Mutual Cooperation
While the mutual recognition of qualifications must be maintained, the Committee heard that there is an opportunity in the orientation of Irish universities and education institutions towards the other EU Member States, through the development of cooperation with EU universities and by using Ireland’s highly developed education infrastructure to support projects and partners currently supported by UK universities.
Other Issues
A specific issue raised with the Committee was the impact of a hard border on students. The
Committee heard that a permit system would allow students and educators to move quickly and
easily across the post-Brexit border.
The issue of nationality may be relevant to third level grants. The Committee heard that Student
Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) can only provide maintenance grants for third level to EU citizens, with students from Northern Ireland potentially ineligible post-Brexit. The preferred solution is to preserve current arrangements for the award of maintenance grants on the island of Ireland. A much broader solution to this and many other potential problems may be to allow all current UK citizens to retain EU citizenship.144
Gaeilge / Irish Language
Similar to the issues identified in the higher education sector, the Committee heard that most of the 9,000 students who visit the Donegal Gaeltacht annually come from Northern Ireland and summer colleges in the Gaeltacht contribute significantly to tourism in their local areas. The Committee heard that the imposition of a hard border could result in additional challenges for both Irish speaking communities and those who wish to access Irish-medium education.
The derogation that applies to Irish as an official language of the EU is due to end in 2021. This
means that all documentation from the EU will be translated in Irish and not selected documents as is currently the case. A challenge exists in the all-island context as Irish speakers living in Northern Ireland may face additional barriers in accessing the employment opportunities at European level which may, in turn, negatively impact the Irish language generally in Northern Ireland.
This Article draws on Seanad Special Select Committee Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union Brexit: Implications and Potential Solutions June 2017. Irish public sector information is reproduced pursuant to PSI Licence; Conditions of Re-Use of Public Sector Information. The Legal Materials contain Irish Public Sector Information licensed under the Irish Licence which is at http://circulars.gov.ie/pdf/circular/per/2016/12.pdf.