Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Before I move the amendment, for the purposes of clarity, I wish to make the committee and the Chairman aware that I am considering tabling amendments on Report Stage to deal with a small number of matters. I want to briefly outline those elements as they are required to be raised on Committee Stage in the first instance. There are a small number of amendments that are technical in nature and include provisions relating to the superannuation entitlements of persons transferring from FÁS to SOLAS, the transfer of property rights and liabilities from SOLAS to the ETBs, the functions of SOLAS in regard to reporting progression and legislation impacted on by the dissolution of FÁS. They will be brought forward on Report Stage.

I move amendment No. 5:

In page 7, subsection (1), between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following:"(b) promote an appreciation of the value of further education and training,".

The purpose of this amendment is to insert a new function in section 7 that will require SOLAS to promote an appreciation of the value of further education and training. Further education and training, to a certain extent, has always been the poor relation in overall education provision. There is a perception that it is not appreciated to the extent that it should be, despite the excellent work that is ongoing in the sector. The strategic approach for promoting an appreciation of further education and training will be contained in the development of the further education and training strategy, as provided for in section 9. The amendment is to insert that new function which will require SOLAS to promote that appreciation of the value of further education and training.