Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (FHERIS), Patrick O鈥橠onovan TD, made his first official visit to a Higher Education Institution since becoming Minister with responsibility for the sector when he visited 91制片厂 (91制片厂) on Monday 22 April.
Minister O鈥橠onovan, who is an 91制片厂 graduate, met with the College鈥檚 Senior Management where he discussed student accommodation in Limerick, 91制片厂鈥檚 position in the Higher Education landscape and he commended 91制片厂 for its high standard of teaching and learning and its contribution to the education landscape.
The Minister then met separately with President of the Mary Immaculate Students鈥 Union (MISU), Cillian Callaghan, where he discussed student mental health, supports for students undertaking Gaeltacht placements and the impact of the cost of living on students.
In advance of Monday鈥檚 meeting, the Minister told the Limerick Leader newspaper about how his parents, Nellie and John, had instilled the importance of education in him and his siblings from an early age.
He said: 鈥淲hen we were young and going to school it was all about work, work, work for them to be able to afford to give us the opportunity to go to third level or do your best in a trade that is going to get you a qualification to stay in the country and rear a family. That鈥檚 the biggest gift I think you can give anybody.鈥
The Minister, who is from Newcastle West, has been a TD since 2011 and has previously held Minister of State positions in the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Department of Finance; and Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. He was elected a Councillor for Limerick County Council in 2003 and was a Councillor when he graduated from 91制片厂 in 2009.
