Professor John FitzGerald:

The paper was originally a Trinity economic draft paper and was not peer reviewed at the time. It is now being published and has been peer reviewed. That is a part of the process. We felt it was worthwhile getting it out there to get comments and that is normal in the academic world. It has now been extensively reviewed and will appear in a journal this winter.

The first question related to third level education and graduates leaving the country. The proportion of A-level students in Northern Ireland who go to university in Britain has increased because of constraints on third level funding in Northern Ireland. That is lethal. People form their social networks and expectations when they are doing an undergraduate degree and the chances of getting them back are far slimmer once they have gone to Liverpool Brookes University, formed their friendships and whatever. That is why two thirds of the people who go to Great Britain for university never come back. The problem with putting more resources into third level in the North is where are they going to come from? That may be a priority.

Education is the key to addressing productivity. Ms Gildernew, raised the question about absorption of the cost of funding Northern Ireland and we looked at that in the paper. It would be the equivalent of the financial shock to Ireland in the 2008 to 2010 period. That is the kind of magnitude we are talking about. It is very large. That is why it is so important to deal with the productivity problem in Northern Ireland which gives one the choice. I will leave the politicians to ask what the reaction would be to that.

Deputy Brendan Smith asked about investment post Covid. Wearing my climate change hat, I would like to see significant State investment in retrofitting. In particular, we said that this should begin in rural areas or outside of Dublin where people are using oil or coal. The case is similar for Northern Ireland. We could learn from the Housing Executive. We have been saying all of these things and indicating where Northern Ireland could do better. Where the Republic could do better is on social housing and management. We could learn from the Housing Executive. In terms of the green deal, jobs and regional balance, investment would help.

Senator Currie asked about reconciliation. It is the soft things that make economies successful. Twenty years ago I had to talk with the then Tasmanian Prime Minister about the Celtic Tiger. I gave him the usual spiel about education, corporation tax and so on. At the end, he asked a very good question regarding what role Irish music played in the Irish success story. I was stumped. Professor Morgenroth touched on this in terms of Galway. Why is Galway the success story in Ireland and Waterford the failure? Galway has two successful theatre groups. Belfast City has picked itself up in the past 20 years. Making somewhere an attractive place in which to live is at least as important as anything else. I am not an expert on that. I stick to discussing the economy.