Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the various groups and I compliment Senator Clune on the work that she is doing in this area. I got a sense from the four presentations that those most connected to this problem and most connected to business are the institutes of technology, ITs, that is, Dr. Murphy, Mr. Cummins and their colleagues. Even from their presentation, they seemed to hit on exactly the areas at which the committee is looking.

I have a couple of questions. First, to all of those present, a key issue is guidance at second level in order that students are fully prepared and given the appropriate information at second level before they even get to the ITs. What are their thoughts about the changes and the cuts to guidance provision and does it have the potential to exacerbate the problem with skills?

On my concern about complacency, I welcome the appointment of the enterprise liaison person, but it is November 2012. Is Mr. Boland telling the committee that the HEA had not even thought before 2012 that it might be handy or worthwhile to have an enterprise liaison person, and if not, why? We are almost five years into the crisis and enterprise is supposed to be at the heart of the rebirth, regardless of politics. The HEA is only now making that appointment, welcome as it is. Where has it been? Who has had that function for the past five years?

Mr. Boland commented that the ITs had responded well. How many places in the HEA and IT system were construction related in 2007 and how many are construction related today?

On foreign languages, the expert group highlighted a concern about an anticipated lack of suitable candidates in languages. Surely, we should have seen this coming. Some of the languages they cite are European languages. Twenty years ago, in various referenda, we were told we all had to learn German. They are citing a shortage of proficient German speakers. We are talking not only about Chinese or the languages of the BRIC countries but also about traditional European trading languages. What exactly are those present doing in that regard and how did a situation arise where language deficiency was the cause in many cases for 500 of 1,000 jobs having to be filled from outside the jurisdiction? There is a preference for native speakers, but surely we cannot have that.

What interaction do the groups have with IDA Ireland on its work? When IDA Ireland is out pitching this country, does it engage with them at any level on the skills they can provide? If IDA Ireland is pitching Ireland as a destination, can it tell from the HEA, the Irish Universities Association, the DIT or the ITs what exactly is in the system?

The institutes of technology sector seems to be the one sector which is on top of the issue about which we are concerned. In a previous committee, we visited Dundalk to look at the work Dundalk Institute of Technology was doing in renewables. That was four years ago and Dundalk was ahead of the curve then. I am well aware of IT Sligo and GMIT. They are so ahead of the curve. Athlone IT has a fantastic course, which I gather is about to be pulled because of lack of funding, that allows electricians who are no longer in demand to convert their skills to manufacturing positions. There is nearly 100% employment out of that course and they are concerned about the funding of it. I say to the IT sector to keep at it because it seems to be on top of it. Perhaps the others could learn from the IT sector in terms of its connectivity with industry.