Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This is a very interesting discussion to have. We need to recognise that there are real opportunities, in particular with the new Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. These things can be done across the island, if the willingness is there.

Making access to third level easier can be done in very simple ways, some of which were discussed, including the points and CAO systems and opening them up. In fairness, I think there is a willingness across all of the heads of third level institutes that I have met, both institutes of technology and universities. There is a real awareness of the benefits of an all-island approach to education that threatens nobody's constitutional preference.

Professor Morgenroth's paper made the interesting point that having a highly skilled workforce was ten times more important than the most important infrastructure than one could invest in, including broadband. I ask him to speak to that for a moment. Broadband is important. Having proper broadband throughout the island and connection of digital education across the island presents real opportunities. There is no reason somebody in Mayo - Westport was mentioned earlier - could not be part of a project team with somebody in the North and vice versa.

I ask Professor Morgenroth to talk about the opportunities around the new technological universities, in particular the Connacht-Ulster Alliance comprising Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Sligo IT, Letterkenny IT and Magee College.

I acknowledge what Dr. Farry said about apprenticeships. A new apprenticeship plan is being developed. There is no reason that some part of what will likely be four-year apprenticeships could not be done in the North.

I ask Professor Morgenroth to speak about the Connacht-Ulster Alliance and the return on investment in education being ten times higher than other types of investment.