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Minister Richard Bruton with Secretary of State Damian Hinds MP

Secretary of State for Education, Damian Hinds MP visits Ireland to reinforce the close relationship between the two countries

The Minister for Education, Richard Bruton, welcomed Secretary of State for Education, Damian Hinds MP to Dublin to reinforce the close relationship between the two countries and discuss the challenges that lie ahead.

Minister Bruton and Secretary of State Hinds discussed the common challenges facing both countries’ education and training systems in a rapidly changing world.

Both reiterated their commitment to maintaining the Common Travel Area, which, amongst other things, ensures reciprocal rights to access education at all levels for Irish and British citizens in each other’s countries. Minister Bruton and Secretary of State Hinds agreed that their officials will continue to work together to ensure that this access will be maintained after the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. They also discussed continuing broader education cooperation.

Other topics of discussion included Technological Universities, skills, both country’s focus on maintaining excellent literacy and numeracy standards, how to ensure children from disadvantaged backgrounds are given the best opportunity to fulfil their full potential as well as the importance of integrating new technology in teaching to benefit both pupils and teachers. As well as his meeting with Minister Bruton, Secretary of State Hinds visited St Audeon’s Primary School and the new Grangegorman campus in Dublin Institute of Technology.