Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Ministers and apologise if some of this has been covered already. I am mindful that we now have two Ministries for education. I was and remain a sceptic as to the justification for splitting it in that way. I have no doubt about the Minister's ability, tenacity and zeal in carrying out his mission with his portfolio.

He mentioned the focus that the CAO process provides. It has the effect of narrowing the range of options. I agree with everything that has been said about the need to destigmatise apprenticeships to promote alternatives to traditional academic third level options having regard to the needs the country has and so on. Is it not also fair to say that the points system as it has operated has also narrowed the focus extraordinarily and that we need a radical review of how the leaving cert is operating to shape people's minds? With the broader focus on education, education for life, wisdom and so forth, do we not increasingly have a leaving cert focus that emphasises skills perhaps to the detriment of wider education? Do we need to consider change in that area also?