Minister Harris publishes more than 18,000 ideas generated from national brainstorm

Ideas to inspire future research projects in 16 areas from culture to sustainability, mental health and housing, identified by the public.

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris has today published the outcomes from Creating Our Future, a unique national brainstorm that received more than 18,000 ideas on how to create a better society.

The diverse breadth of public submissions on where research should be focused ranged from ideas on the environment, mental health, food and sustainable and green living, to housing, health, the arts, digital challenges, learning and development, and nurturing community.

The campaign asked the Irish public to submit research ideas based on a flexible, open-ended question: ‘Tell us your idea for what researchers in Ireland should explore to create a better future?’

Some responses included:

  • the impact of parental depression on children
  • a zero-waste society
  • a cut-off button on phones, tablets, laptops and computers for children
  • the use of robots for litter collection
  • car-free cities
  • whether radio presenters respond to or engage with male and female presenters differently
  • communication around cancer and infertility

 

“The Creating Our Future campaign was launched to bring research and the public together; to unite everyone in a shared project to allow us to better understand how research can work for the Irish public and shape a better Ireland.

We wanted to open a discussion to everyone, to discover what was important to people, to find out what they would like to explore to create a better future for all.” 

Simon Harris, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

 

Look through the ideas submitted in the digital Book of Inspiration .

Read the Creating Our Future Campaign Report and Expert Committee Report