Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

When I was going to school a long time ago, there was the secondary school and there was the gairmscoil or vocational school. Professor Doyle is quite right. Students did two years in the vocational school and they got their trade, but that changed radically when the vocational schools started doing the leaving certificate and students started to stay on, and they have gone on to college very successfully. The point that Professor Doyle makes is important. We need to try to get people to a leaving certificate or A level standard and then move on after that. I call Senator Black.