Mr. Paul Crone:

Setting up a woodwork room is a significant investment. A metalwork room is even more expensive because the machinery and tools are very expensive. I know the Department is currently working through a programme of upgrading and retrofitting existing workshops and it is a huge investment. In some schools that have not traditionally had those rooms there are two elements. One is the investment to be able to equip the room, and the second is the space. Very often, they are operating at 95% capacity so they need an additional building to house the subjects. I have been involved in school leadership for quite a while. I remember when I came out as a practical teacher there was a shortage of teachers. After a period of time there was an oversupply, then there was a shortage again, and then there was an oversupply. We know that is how it will happen.

Quite a few teachers are being turned out but what happens is that, in the boom, some of those teachers will go into the construction industry or private industry with the attraction of greater salaries or whatever the case may be. However, we need to put our heads together to look at how we can potentially train teachers on the east coast because we do not have teachers from the east coast who are travelling to Limerick and Letterfrack to train. The natural tendency is to go home or to be near home. They might come to Dublin for a couple of years and then go back to the country. That is human nature and we accept that. However, we potentially need to look at a programme where, in coming years, we can offer these practical subjects in all schools that traditionally would not have had them. Potentially, I am talking about all-girls schools.

I was a principal in a co-educational school and there was quite a high uptake of STEM subjects among the girls. They really enjoyed the subjects and were really good at them so to exclude them is not the right way. I get the point that has been made that improvements are not something that can be done with a magic wand. It will take time and investment. STEM needs to be part of our vision for 2030 or 2040. We must put a plan and procedures in place to make sure that STEM subjects are offered in every school and that we can supply the teachers for them.