Mr. Tony Donohoe:

On the Deputy's question about lifelong learning, we were much poorer on this in comparison with elsewhere. I will give the figures from the latest EUROSTAT in October or November. It asks people across Europe if they have had experience of lifelong learning or been involved in any sort of course in the previous four weeks? Ireland had an 11% rate. The EU average was 9.2%. I can remember when we were at 7%, and at 6% at one stage. We have improved but we are still not at the levels which can be seen in northern Europe. Sweden has a rate of 28.6%, Finland is at 27% and Denmark is at 20%. We have targets to hit. I do not think we can overemphasise the importance, from a business perspective, of lifelong learning and the requirement for it because of the pace of change.

Mr. McDonnell mentioned the SME sector. His organisation is involved with the implementation of a report which looks at introducing best practice management methods for owner managers and the SME sector. Looking at our analysis of what needs to happen there, it goes back to developing this entrepreneurial mindset in the school system. This is where it starts. When we think of entrepreneurship, it is not just creation of financial value, but seeing opportunities and exploiting them to create value. It can be financial and economic, but it can also be cultural and social. It goes back to my original point that there is not an exclusive business voice in this conversation.

The Deputy asked questions about zero-carbon and environmental awareness. Yesterday, we launched a report on skills for the zero-carbon economy, which is tied into the Government's climate action plan and what will be required to deliver on this. We are fishing in the same pond as the construction sector with the Housing for All targets, etc.

Much of it is in those traditional craft occupations and construction skills. However, they have another dimension. The Deputy mentioned retrofitting the curriculum. We must also introduce retrofitting skills into traditional apprenticeships.

We must also modify our motor maintenance courses and certification processes to acknowledge that electric vehicles are coming down the track. Many of the skills involved can be completely new. We have, for example, a new apprenticeship for wind turbine technician coming on stream. Many of them are for new occupations but more of them are actually for modifying existing courses, as I said in my opening remarks, across business studies, engineering and a whole range of occupations. We are also producing a report we hope to launch before the end of the year from the EGFSN on artificial intelligence. Again, we want the specialists but it is more likely to be something plus artificial intelligence or something plus zero carbon. Rather than totally new occupations, it is about disruption of existing occupations and tasks that need to reflect what are sometimes called mega-trends, such as zero carbon.