Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I apologise, but I must run away again, having been tied up. Something else has cropped up. It is one of those days when three or four things are happening at once. I congratulate the witnesses from Startup Ireland. I have had two experiences: the leaving certificate applied and the transition year programme. We can learn significantly from that and we can instill enthusiasm in that age group if we teach them that they can do it.

The leaving certificate applied is not all that successful at present. I think those who have taken this option have not had the support they need. It measures an individual's talents, abilities, skills and intelligence other than academic intelligence. It is a joy to see somebody who is now qualified but who was regarded at the age of five, six or seven as being quite poor and put at the back of the class. By the time such people are 15 or 16 they could be really isolated, but discovering their other abilities which are being measured suddenly gives them confidence. They suddenly find that the rest of class are able to say to them that they can do it, and once they get confidence they can do a great deal. It seems to me that to instill confidence is one of the roles of education. We must find some way of being able to give youngsters confidence so that they are not afraid of failure. They must be able to say that it is okay to fail, but one must stand up and try it again. Well done.