Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Donohoe for that response. On apprenticeships, the new technological universities, particularly for Athlone and Limerick, the Technological University of the Shannon, TUS, Midlands Midwest, and the Connacht-Ulster Alliance, which will be kicking off with the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, GMIT, the Institute of Technology, IT, Sligo and the Institute of Technology, IT, Letterkenny, have been working closely with the education and training boards, ETBs, in each of those regions to drive post-leaving certificate courses and national framework of qualifications, NFQ, levels and to bring people, as Mr. Donohoe said, right the whole way through to masters or PhD level but doing it in smaller chunks and making it more accessible. A student spoke at the launch of TUS Midlands Midwest in Athlone who had started doing a plc course and then moved on, and she is now head of the students' union in that brand new university. That is an excellent example of how one can progress, taking it slowly, having the option to earn and learn and handle the costs involved in attending college. Go raibh maith agat, Mr. Donohoe. I thank the Chairman. I do not know if I have any time remaining.