Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the points made by Professor FitzGerald on education. I am a great believer in progression in education and I have seen the value of it, whether through reducing the number of early school leavers through youth reach, and also through our colleges of further education. I have seen many young people, from families with no big attachment or emphasis within the household on education, go on to further education, third level education, and subsequently graduate, and complete masters degrees. I have seen these people make a very valuable contribution to society and to their local economy.

To my knowledge, the further education sector was developed in Northern Ireland before it was developed in the Republic. As a Deputy representing Cavan-Monaghan, over the years I have had some engagement with the colleges of further education in Enniskillen and Omagh, particularly when Mr. McAleer was principal of those colleges. Does Professor Morgenroth see the need for a greater emphasis on trying to ensure that young people remain in education beyond second level, perhaps through colleges of further education, and then go on to third level education?

With regard to the productive economy, Brexit is very much in the news. I listened Professor Morgenroth two years ago, when he outlined the adverse regional effects that would arise from Brexit. The cental Border area, both North and South, which is the least developed area both in Northern Ireland and in our State, would be most impacted by Brexit because of our dependence on the agri-food industry, construction products and the engineering sector. Will Brexit add immeasurably to the difficulties that we have in an economy that is not well developed enough, or that faces its own particular challenges?