Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the delegations from WIT and Carlow IT. It is important to put on record our positions and the challenges we face, as well as identifying opportunities. The witnesses have outlined where opportunities exist and engagement, discussion and debate is how we can improve how we, as policymakers, respond to the challenges that face us. I visited Carlow IT before Christmas and I was very impressed by the service delivery and the courses on offer. I am a regular visitor to WIT and, like Senator Cullinane, I visited TSSG a few weeks ago. I was pleasantly amazed to witness the uplifting innovation and research that goes on and the connection between that and the potential for industry and employment. I am not just saying that as a loyal Waterford person. I knew a lot of work went on there and we are now starting to see the real benefit. FeedHenry and Betapond have announced investments by companies such as Intel, global players, and that can only continue. It must be matched by appropriate global strategy and policy to ensure it continues.

I raised concerns about regional coherence. I feel we have not been coherent as a region until now. In fairness to both colleges represented before us, it is no coincidence that the collaboration between WIT and Carlow IT has seen major strides towards the achievement of a technological university for the south east. Previously, we were divided and had differences of opinion but now the Government recognises it for the first time. That we must, and will, have a technological university for the south east was included in the programme for Government and endorsed by the Minister for Education and Skills. That does not mean serious challenges remain for Carlow and Waterford.

I am interested in hearing how to focus on the challenge, which is immediate and essential, to benefit both colleges. There is possibly duplication between existing colleges in the south east. Some negotiation and debate must occur to ensure departments are set up to meet the growth areas we have spoken about. Perhaps the witnesses have information on how to address challenges.

The witnesses referred to innovation vouchers, which are a Government initiative. Dr. Willie Donnelly mentioned 250 companies having taken advantage of the vouchers. How are the vouchers used? Is it for marketing or support in the creation of new products, or innovation within the companies? How do they use them and what does it mean in terms of job creation?

I am concerned to hear Mr. Shane Rooney refer to the lack of engagement between industry, education and policymakers and the Government. It is a concern I share but Mr. Rooney is now a main player as part of the new SOLAS body. It is a challenge for colleges, industry and policymakers to ensure we match courses with growth and demand. We are now three or four years into the recession and we have major unemployment. I am concerned that we do not have that level of engagement, although it is the fault of no one at this committee meeting. We need to identify why the engagement is not taking place.

I do not agree with all of the statements made here. I am a qualified electrician and came through the vocational apprenticeship system. One of the witnesses mentioned that trade-related skills are not happening and that we are not engaging with industry. WIT has a successful programme where former electricians upskill to engineering courses and manufacturing courses. That is working quite well and perhaps someone on the panel can give us more information.

I understand there are positive programmes that will engage craftsmen and people who were employed in the construction sector in finding new career paths and job prospects. I often meet people who are obliged to go on FÁS courses on fork lift training, etc., which may not be relevant to where the job prospects lie. We have work to do in matching the growth sectors in which there are employment prospects with unemployed people. We must try to bridge that gap. That is a huge challenge for all of us and I would be interested to hear more detail in that regard.

Senator Cullinane and others said there is huge potential in the south east region from the perspective of agrifood, life sciences and bioscience, and I understand Teagasc has a role also. How do the institutes overlap with Teagasc as education partners? What engagement do they have with it? When TalkTalk closed, for the first time in the history of the State, all State agencies, education partners and local authorities were brought together by the Minister. I find it astounding that we do not have a better model of engagement between all the stakeholders to ensure better outcomes and better policy-making. There is much room for improvement in that area.

To go back to the agrifood-related area, there is huge potential for unskilled or low-skilled construction workers to gain new skills as farm assistants. I do not mean as farm labourers but as farm assistants. Such people can move from construction-related activities, in which they might not have had a craft or a qualification, to hugely productive areas in the farming sector. There is huge potential in Harvest 2020 and all the associated services. We should look at improving the skills of former construction workers so that they can work in farming- or agriculture-related areas. That is something in which we need to engage and I would be interested to hear if there is any work going on in that area.

I briefly visited thejobs.ie website while the discussion was taking place. There are 85 jobs currently available in the Waterford area, 59 in Kilkenny, 54 in Wexford, 34 in Carlow and 82 in Tipperary. There are 314 vacancies in the south east, which are being advertised. There is a disconnect if we are not matching the skill sets with those vacancies, and that is the challenge for us. Those 314 jobs are available today. What will the number be next week, next month or next year? That is the challenge we all must face.