Creating Our Future roadshow coming to Offaly this week

Offaly is to have a 90-minute visit this week from the ‘Creating Our Future’ roadshow which is looking for opinions from the public on the role of research in devising a better future.

Described as a government-led national brainstorm, the Creating Our Future roadshow aims at involving the people of Ireland in a conversation on the role research can and should play in addressing opportunities, challenges and hopes for the future.

The Offaly visit takes place from 1.30-3pm on Friday, October 15 in Tullamore.

Creating Our Future is asking people to submit their ideas about what researchers in Ireland should explore to create a better future through the dedicated online portal www.creatingourfuture.ie, which is open until November 30, 2021.

The Roadshow will be pulling up in towns across the country and will encourage members of the public to engage in a conversation with researchers over a cup of coffee, and to submit an idea about an opportunity or challenge in their lives, community, Ireland or the world; or something they are curious or passionate about and would like researchers to explore.

Encouraging people to visit the roadshow, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris said, said: "Over the course of the pandemic, we were reminded starkly of how much of our daily lives depend on the efforts of researchers to secure our economy, wellbeing, and health.

“As a forward-thinking country, we must ask how research can help meet the opportunities and challenges facing our society over the coming years. Creating our Future opens up this question to all,” the Minister said.

All submissions will be considered by expert panels and the results of their findings will be published by the end of 2021 in a major report which will inform Ireland’s next strategy for research, innovation, science and technology.

The report will also contribute to informing Ireland’s policy on research and innovation.