Professor Diarmuid Hegarty:

The Deputy' really needs to put to IBEC her question on how the money can be applied, but I presume the employers are taking the line that they do not want the money going into a black hole; they want it to be used to enhance skills. Senator Pauline O'Reilly referred to the significant skills challenge. What is needed is a significant expansion in the Springboard+ programme. If this money was used to acquire, if one likes, skills education on a tendered basis, it would be more effective. I referred to the situation back in 1999 when there was a tender to create IT places but that was subsequently blocked by the Department of Education. When one goes to tender, one gets the kind of economies whereby five students are educated at the same cost as one student and they come out as graduates with Quality and Qualifications Ireland, QQI, degrees as good as those from any other institution. If the national training fund is to be used, that should be focused on skills training and skills education and it should be allowed to go out to tender.