Professor Vincent Cunnane:

The question was on apprentices. The Deputy rightly identified the progression from traditional apprentices into higher education apprentices. This is what we are embarked upon. The first graduates of this have actually come through in the past year. The advanced electrical qualification went from a craft apprentice to a level 7 qualification. This week Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology is outlining advanced manufacturing from a traditional base and into level 7. There are other examples in Sligo and elsewhere where we have transitioned craft apprentice qualifications into a higher education attainment. It had been an endpoint and there was little activity beyond that. Now, those involved have the ability to go on from level 6 or 7 to level 8 or 9 and PhD. The new apprentice model drives that but it is at the legislative heart of the technological university exercise. My apologies for going on and for not bringing my colleagues in. We have touched on emotive subjects.