Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will start by thanking witnesses again. This has been entertaining, as well as informative and educational. As the lads said to St. Paul at the Areopagus, "We must have you back some time to tell us some more". Perhaps a good context for that would be the NCCA report, when we see it. One word we have not used very much today is "competitiveness". In other times and places when we talk about the education system and our assessment system, we talk about our economy and the need to stay competitive. Where is industry in all of this in terms of what it might want? Is it possible to craft a gentle senior cycle curriculum and assessment system that takes into account the very important issues of social justice about which all the witnesses have spoken, especially Professor Collins? At the same time, does it endanger or in any way put in issue the question of our competitiveness? I am not making a point; I am asking a question. Is there a tension or is any such suggestion imaginary?