Minister James Lawless' CAO advice: "Students today have so many pathways open to them... Explore all your options and think about what genuinely interests you"

What are your goals as Minister for Further and Higher Education? Which specific issues are you going to tackle?

As Minister, my work is shaped by four priorities outlined in my Statement of Strategy, 2025-2028:

• to foster research and innovation as an economic enabler;
• to provide high quality accessible tertiary education;
• to expand pathways to skills, reskilling, and apprenticeships that match Ireland’s evolving workforce needs; and
• to promote curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge as a public good.

These priorities reflect my vision for Ireland’s future as a skills-driven and knowledge-driven economy. Over the past year, we have made major advances across all parts of the system, and I’ve been proud to deliver real progress across research, innovation and education.

In October, I delivered my first Budget – a Budget that puts students first. It introduced the first permanent €500 reduction in the student contribution fee since 1995, while also enhancing supports through SUSI, expanding income thresholds and increasing maintenance grant rates to support more students. We created more than 340 new places in key health and veterinary programmes and approved 19 new Tertiary Degree programmes. We secured €67 million for new student accommodation at UCD and advanced 11 new PPP buildings, which will provide space for over 8,500 students.

Budget 2026 also delivered the largest ever increase in core apprenticeship funding, €79 million, bringing total investment to more than €410 million. Alongside this, I secured €4.55 billion under the National Development Plan to strengthen our research and education infrastructure, launched the €750 million INSPIRE Research Infrastructure Programme, and introduced the first full Professorship grade within our Technological Universities.

I intend to build on this momentum in 2026, with major investments in research, apprenticeships, and capacity across health, social care, education and innovation – driving Ireland’s skills and knowledge economy forward with urgency and ambition, as we prepare to take on the EU Presidency.

What are your memories of filling out your CAO form?

I enjoyed school, and while I was always fairly focused, I really put my head down in sixth year. When it came to filling out my CAO, there were a couple of courses I was excited about. A brochure for Maths and Theoretical Physics in Trinity College Dublin had really caught my attention, and because I loved maths in school, I had my heart set on it.

In fact, I was so sure that I originally planned to put down only that one course. But my mother gave me the very sound advice to include other options, just in case. So, in the end, I put down three options, Maths in Trinity, Theoretical Physics in Trinity, and then Engineering in UCD. Even with three choices, it was still a bit risky, and definitely not an approach I’d recommend.

Why did you choose to study mathematics and then on to computing?

I ended up studying Maths and Theoretical Physics in Trinity, but by third and fourth year I was leaning much more towards the maths side, which I loved. As part of the degree, I also got exposure to computing and discovered how much I enjoyed it. I’ve always liked solving problems, and computer science opened up a whole new way of doing that.

I started coding programmes to tackle mathematical problems, mostly in C on Unix, which was my tool of choice at the time, with C++ seen as the “advanced” option. I found the combination of maths, logic, and computing really satisfying.

That’s what led me to pursue a Master’s in High Performance Computing in Trinity. I graduated in 2000 and went straight into a small Irish software and IT consulting company, doing my Master’s at night, two evenings a week and a halfday on top of that. I enjoyed the problem-solving aspect of it, and it was also clear that the dotcom boom was taking off, so it felt like an exciting space for Ireland’s future.

Looking back, I’ve always loved history and politics, and I was interested in economics and how the world works in general. Part of me regretted not having more exposure to the arts and humanities. That’s one of the reasons I later went back to study law, again by night. I loved the law, the structure, the rigour. In some ways it’s not too different from maths, both are about understanding rules and how to apply them.

My biggest learning, and the advice I’d give any student reading this, is that whatever you put down on your CAO doesn’t define you for life. Your career can take many different paths, and often the most interesting journeys are the ones you don’t predict at the start. That’s something to be excited about.

What advice would you give a school leaver who’s interested in getting into politics?

If you’re interested in politics, my first piece of advice is to study history. You don’t necessarily need to study it in college, but you should read about history, read the papers, follow current affairs, and read widely. Don’t rely on just one source for your news. And talk to people who disagree with you – that’s really important.

If you only ever speak to people who share your views, you’ll never have your ideas challenged or developed. Engage with people who think differently, read writers from across the political spectrum, and expose yourself to a broad range of perspectives.

If you’re in college, get involved. Join debating societies, join the students’ union, put yourself in environments where you’re discussing ideas, organising, and learning how to persuade and listen.

But beyond all that, real-world experience is hugely important. I worked in lots of jobs from the age of 15. Growing up in Wexford by the sea, I worked in tourism and hospitality, everything from managing the ghost train, to peeling spuds in the local chipper, to working in the pub at night. I worked all through my student years at weekends, even while doing my Master’s.

Those experiences have always stayed with me. Dealing with the public, working for a small business, understanding operations, and seeing the daytoday challenges people face, all of that has shaped how I see the world. Even though I’m doing a very different job now, that grounding has never left me.

When it comes to going into politics, that kind of foundation is invaluable. It helps you understand the wider economy, wider society, and, most importantly, real people in real situations.

What would your advice be to any student filling out their CAO form?

Students today have so many pathways open to them, and my advice is to take the time to explore all your options and think about what genuinely interests you.

For example, you could click on the Further Education and Training & Apprenticeship button and explore the huge range of degree programmes and other qualifications available through those routes – they might suit your way of learning even better.

Don’t rush the process. Look beyond course titles, read the descriptions carefully, talk to people who are already studying in those areas, and picture yourself enjoying the day-to-day work involved.

There are around 1,400 different courses available through the CAO, and that range exists so you can find the pathway that best fits who you are and what you want to explore.

And remember, the course you get often turns out to be the right one for you. Many students discover new passions once they begin their studies, and there are always opportunities to specialise further or change direction as you go.

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