Mr. Neil McDonnell:

I will address two points raised by Senator O'Loughlin. First, we have an inadequate level of working in teams at leaving cert level and when a young person goes into the workplace, he or she will never be working alone in most jobs. The ability to work in a team setting is essential. Second, on recognising and rating teachers by points and performance, the body politic bears some responsibility for this. We raised the point earlier about converting all our ITs into regional universities. That suggests we value the academic, but not the technical, the skilled or trades. I say to Senators and Deputies: physician, heal thyself. If they continually say to young people that an academic education and letters after one's name is important, they cannot blame people for taking that view when they see points output.