Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses here this morning. To follow up on what Mr. Maskey said, how often do representatives of the different structures meet? It is a pity that the former Minister, Deputy Quinn, had to leave because he would have had a better insight on co-operation at ministerial level. How flexible are the systems for meeting counterparts? If something is working in one area, North or South, I presume those involved will exchange information, but how flexible is the system in trying to change or adapt to this?

Apprenticeships were mentioned, but during the recession the construction industry collapsed, and everyone said there was a need to move away from the standard apprenticeships that had served us well over the years. Mr. Baldwin said there were 25 new apprenticeship systems, but do they represent 25 new programmes? Models were cited, including the German apprenticeship system. The advantage is that if a young person wants to be an apprentice electrician and it does not suit them, they can adapt within the system itself. It is much more difficult to do so within the Irish system. That is why I am trying to find out about the level of flexibility in the system. It took us years to change over from this system. At the time, young apprentices said that getting practical experience was a huge problem. Some of us suggested bringing them into local authorities to obtain practical skills there, but how adaptable is that system?

The fall in youth unemployment was referred to, as well as young people staying at school and entering higher education. As we know, there is a price for families whose children stay on at school. Figures are given comparing the European model with what is happening in Ireland, where more people are staying on at school. We have also been given figures for the number of young unemployed people. In Ireland, the safety valve has always been emigration; this would not be the same in other European countries.

When members of this committee visited Belfast we examined various disadvantaged areas. Dr. Peter Shirlow provided figures for young people from a Protestant background who were doing well at school but then left the North. Figures were cited on the positive changes that are happening in disadvantaged areas, but is that still the pattern for young people from a Protestant, loyalist or Unionist background? Are they still leaving for Scotland or England? What is being done to try to keep such young people in employment in Northern Ireland?

I wish to comment on the one-size-fits-all system of second-chance education. If one talks to people involved in second-chance education, particularly those in training, they say the system is not very flexible. I recently spoke to a teacher in my own constituency in Tallaght. He said that funding is available for second-chance education targeting those who have dropped out of school, including a one-to-one teacher-pupil ratio. The big problem, however, is to try to draw down such funding. Are there similar systems in the North, besides the usual school structures, to keep young people in education? Is there anything we can learn from their system?

It is all about sharing experience. I am aware of the strides that have been made in education in Scotland, so is there a tie-in between the North and other systems in Britain?