Mr. Gerard Smith:

Maybe I did not explain it correctly. We have one, there is one in Laois-Offaly and I believe there is one to do with wind clusters in Cork-Kerry. I think it is those three.

On what inspired Mr. O'Brien, I am not 100% sure. During his transition from Sligo through Cavan-Monaghan and into Louth-Meath, employers and industry were approaching him to say there needed to be something different in this phase, given the labour shortage that exists. Travelling all across the Border region probably brings a different complexity to the problem because there is a transient workforce coming across.

The skills shortage has to be solved through automation and there was nothing in existence for that. The centre was set up to be different. I am 11 months in the role but 24 years in manufacturing so I still struggle with why we are trying to solve an industry problem with a preordained solution. We should understand the problem and then manipulate the solution to fit that. The centre is pro-industry. It is about getting industry in and then understanding and listening. We are fortunate to have the traineeships, apprenticeships and skills to advance. We have different ways to try to solve those problems for employers. We have the support of diverse equipment. Within an industry, you will take a digitised design and translate it to an output. That output could be a concrete print and a robotic welder, 3D plastic printing or the machining centres. It is how you manage the data, create and digitise the design, keep it safe in a cybersecurity world and then have an output. The output addresses the skills shortage. There is upskilling in all those aspects. When you come into the centre, you can see the flow of that. It represents more of what is real life to business, rather than a narrow focus on going in and learning a particular bit.

We have to work hard - and I personally have to work hard - to keep that industry perspective in view. I talk quite a lot to Mr. O'Brien about that and try to keep it. What keeps us tethered and focused on that is continually working on relationships with the Dundalk and Newry chambers, Enterprise Ireland, IDA, regional skills and Skillnet. We are open to collaboration and that collaboration has to be about solving the industry problem.

Forgive me if I have not answered the question fully but certainly he and I are quite aligned on that being the problem we are trying to solve. On the genesis of the idea for him, I am not 100% sure.