Mr. Peter Baldwin:

Certainly. Following a call by the Apprenticeship Council of Ireland for proposals for new apprenticeships, a decision has been taken by the Government to approve the development of 25 new apprenticeship programmes in areas such as ICT, transport and logistics, financial services, and tourism and hospitality. These new programmes will offer new career options to young people in areas where there are sustainable employment opportunities. The apprenticeship system is one aspect of education and skills development on which we have had fruitful engagement with our colleagues in the Department of Employment and Learning in the North. Regular cross-Border meetings of Ministers and officials review issues of joint concern and the potential for mutually beneficial co-operation in higher and further education strategies and policies, legislative and institutional reform, funding, access and student mobility issues, cross-Border student flows, and research. Through the framework of the North-South Ministerial Council, our respective Departments address such issues as educational disadvantage, and work to improve outcomes and opportunities for young people emerging from our education systems.

We look forward to our discussion on the issues in both jurisdictions and in the context of exploring the potential for further cross-Border initiatives that deliver added value to our work.