Mr. Micheál Ó hÉanaigh:

Ceart go leor. Roinnfidh mé féin agus Ms Ní Fhátharta eadrainn an freagra ar na pointí atá déanta. A question was asked about the skills that are absolutely vital to the companies we are developing and supporting in Gaeltacht areas. We are trying to reverse the brain drain, to one extent. We are also trying to get young people who are still at school to focus on the careers that are coming on line through the companies we are attracting and developing through natural resources and so on.

Senator Ó Céidigh asked what we are doing to attract people back. We have a Gaeltacht diaspora project. We have a very good quality of life in terms of culture, environment, safe areas and so on. We now have the companies as well. Randox in Dungloe is a very good example of that. It could be situated anywhere on the island of Ireland or anywhere in Europe, but those involved decided to locate in Dungloe. Highly qualified people with good skills and good experience are willing to return home to work in Randox. I think it is a good model to show that rural areas can support these types of companies if we work to get them in, develop the infrastructure and attract people back. We work in close co-operation with all the education and training boards, including Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board, on the development of skills. They are absolutely vital to us. They have a key role in working with us to provide apprenticeships and skills to companies.

We also work very closely with the institutes of technology, which are good partners of ours as we aim to focus on certain sectors. I mentioned earlier the example of Páirc na Mara, which is a key project for us as we seek to develop added value in the marine sector through research, innovation and incubation. We are working on that project in partnership with Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board, NUI Galway, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Foras na Mara, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Galway County Council and Teagasc. All of the stakeholders in the project are bringing their skills and their ability to develop research and skills, etc., to the table. The partnership is there. It is absolutely vital that we are working together to provide these skills from the bottom up. We are working in schools and colleges. People who had to leave are being attracted back to the region to set up their own businesses or to work in companies. I have to say on behalf of my close colleagues in Letterkenny Institute of Technology that the facility in Killybegs is very much alive and well.

A great effort has gone into keeping that open. It is vitally important to that part of Donegal. A decision was taken to do the hard work to keep the college in Killybegs open and they have done a very good job in that regard.