Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The committee has heard conflicting views on my next question in the past couple of weeks. At what age should students be talking about STEM subjects, their importance, the choice within STEM and the choice of careers? Some of our witnesses said we should be doing this from primary school and educating primary school teachers to educate primary school children on STEM subjects and their career choices. Some say they have enough on their minds and we should not be doing this until children are in third year in secondary school. I am interested in the witnesses' views. They may not have, let us say, the qualifications but they understand the experience of being a primary school teacher and they know the education system. I put that question to all five witnesses; I am not going to let anyone escape.