Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for the presentation. This year we have around 70,000 graduates from higher education and about 40,000 graduates from further education. That is 110,000. Over the next five years, we can expect more than 500,000 people to come out of third level, higher and further education. How effective are the policy tools now in place to shift the shape of that to provide these new skills? It seems to me that the people who decide what gets taught are not people like the witnesses who are scanning the horizon for skills. How do we change that?

I think Irish enterprise is hopeless at having skills training in its four walls or sponsoring it. While Mr. Donohoe says we need a cultural shift, can significant policy changes also be made? We had 1,300 graduates three years ago and the Minister for higher education is now looking for 10,000. With regard to traineeships, we are again looking for more. General upskilling by enterprise is in its own interest. Surely we can do more than wait for culture to change in this arena. What are the policy tools we might adopt? Without lifelong learning, these enterprises will not thrive.

I return to Senator Crowe's point on the leaving certificate. The OECD was blunt in saying we are preparing people for second-rate jobs by continuing with the present leaving certificate. Mr. Donohoe articulates the poor image many of the growth sectors we look to for the future have within schoolgoing children and, particularly, women. What level of urgency do the witnesses attribute to change in this arena?

I have been hearing talk about the need for better Irish management and design capacity since I entered politics, which was not today nor yesterday. Why has it not happened? These look like easy things to do. They are not big tranches of skill base to be created.

Does our migration policy need to change? Have we got it right at the moment in terms of the prospects ahead?