Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our guests. This is an extremely important matter. In the context of cross-Border co-operation and the challenges we face, it is very upsetting that we have not really tackled youth unemployment. When the 1% and Trinity College are removed from the equation, the figures that are left are very stark. At the most recent meetings they attended, those from the colleges admitted that they had perhaps been asleep at the wheel. There were markets here in the South and north of the Border, but people were looking further afield. Huge opportunities existed but it is obvious that we failed. We can put on all the shows we want in the King's Hall and put in place various networks but we must make matters easier for those involved in order to attract more students. Obviously, it was less expensive for students from the South to go to college in Northern Ireland. What does the Minister believe could be done in this regard? Could incentives be put in place? We can talk around this matter but perhaps some capital investment should be made in the context of trying to get students to attend colleges. St Angela's in Sligo, which is located near to where I live, faced a huge challenge in the context of being subsumed into the National University of Ireland Galway, NUIG. Those who run the institution were obliged to think outside the box. There is a market north of the Border and St. Angela's offers courses in nursing and home economics, which are very practical subjects. It may be time to get everyone together and perhaps this is happening.

What action can we take? Can we put in place some form of monetary incentives? Once someone from Belfast attends college in Sligo or someone from Sligo goes to the University of Ulster Coleraine, the link is established. Politicians receive correspondence each day and we might breeze through most of this. However, there is nothing better than receiving a letter from someone from Sligo who has gone to Coleraine to attend university or from a person from Coleraine or Belfast who is attending university in Dublin or Galway. Are there any incentives which might be put in place?