Mary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the representatives of the network for attending. It was at my invitation and I apologise profusely for being late. This is positive mental health week. It is physically impossible to be in two different places at once. The Minister visited Dundalk this morning to launch an art exhibition but I got back as quickly as I could.

I am familiar with the work of the network and I will make some observations. I have being out advocating for this and it is fabulous to have it. I am speaking as a mother. In the case of two of my children, one availed of mathematics support in NUI Maynooth and another in NUI Galway. They were two products of the initiative.

They found it beneficial and I know, from the statistics contained in the report, that other people did too. Indeed, many people I have spoken to who have availed of mathematics support have often said it was the reason for continuing with their course. When one looks at the statistics on our level of mathematics on entry to third level education it is worrying. I am sure the witness has covered that already. It is fantastic because that is what is keeping many of those courses going. We are aware that there is a big push on the STEM subjects.

I again thank the witnesses. I am sure this question has been asked already, but how can we help? What can we do as a committee to help the witnesses progress their work?