Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

We had to go for a vote in the Seanad, so I apologise for not being here earlier. Funnily enough, the vote was on the Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, so it was very important that we were there.

I wish to ask a very general question. I have written and spoken quite a lot about the apartheid nature of education as evident in the differentiation between university education and vocational education. The move back to vocational education has been spoken about by Deputy Fitzmaurice. It is important that people have learned skills.

I have read the documentation and keep hearing about education and training boards, SOLAS, the Higher Education Authority, institutes of technology and Quality and Qualifications Ireland. Can the delegation tell me about the range of apprenticeships? What are the plans to expand? In Germany, there are approximately 138 apprenticeship forms. Here we have approximately 25, many of which are related to the construction area. In what direction do the delegates intend to expand apprenticeships beyond construction, plumbing and electrical work? I do not see lists of these. There have been many reports, including from the Forestry Service of Ireland and heritage and conservation bodies. There have been many suggestions on apprenticeships. Have any of those come to the fore? Are any apprenticeships being expanded or put into place? There is a lot more to be done than just electrical work and plumbing, which of course are terribly important. With all the institutes of technology, Quality and Qualifications Ireland and education and training boards, it is like a dance. What are the names of the apprenticeships? Where are they? Where are the successful ones? Where does the delegation intend to bring them about? Where is the enlargement?

I am a great believer in vocational education. It is the way forward. The idea that the BA is the only way forward in education is crazy. People need skills and want to be able to do things; it is not that a BA does not allow one to do things. The vocational education sector was the first sector in which I taught as a teacher. Vocational education is a marvellous method of education but we seem to have lost it along the way towards academic education. We have heard many people stating they just want to get to university but sometimes vocational education is appropriate. Vocational education is now returning as a means of training young people, especially those who have been unemployed for a long time.