Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the witnesses for their attendance, papers submitted and presentations made to the joint committee in advance of and during this meeting. I wish to put several questions to various organisations in attendance and will start with the representatives from City & Guilds. In his presentation, Mr. Sheridan outlined that City & Guilds would like to have more information presented to young people, particularly from the age of 13. He might elaborate on that point a little further as to what precisely must happen there. In addition, he mentioned there are many strengths in the current apprenticeship model. He should elaborate on his thoughts in this regard. What does Mr. Sheridan perceive to be the strengths and what does he perceive to be a particular weak point that requires further development? As for Education and Training Boards Ireland, ETBI, a number of training centres have been taken over from FÁS. Mr. Moriarty should elaborate on how that is working. I also ask Dr. Walsh to comment on the next question. In respect of the collaboration the ETBs have had thus far with SOLAS, how much duplication has been encountered in the programmes that had been organised by the former VECs and in what FÁS had been doing heretofore? Has much duplication been identified and what is happening to try to pull them together and to ensure streamlining? Mr. Moriarty also focused on the need to align employer needs and the vocational education and training sector. What has been the practice up to now in trying to pinpoint and give direction in this regard? In respect of both the former VEC and now the ETB sector, as well as with the FÁS sector, what has been the practice and how has it worked heretofore?

As for Aontas, Ms Brady mentioned the difficulty regarding the number of funders with which the community sector must engage and how frequently, no organisation takes an overview as to how it all blends together to ensure it is strong overall or how one part of funding can have an impact on the various organisations that carry it out. How would Ms Brady like to see this changing? On Aontas's engagement with SOLAS, what role does she expect to develop between Aontas and SOLAS over time?

I thank Dr. Walsh for his contribution on behalf of QQI. I acknowledge he sent his apologies in respect of last week's meeting and while he would have liked to have been present, he had other engagements at the time. If he gets an opportunity to do so today, he should comment on the impact of the existing fees in the community sector, as it is a matter the joint committee discussed last week. I already have mentioned a couple of issues in respect of SOLAS. There obviously is a significant job of work to be done and SOLAS is planning to produce a plan for the next five years. Mr. O'Toole should provide members with an idea as to how he envisages matters rolling out over the next five years.

It is a new organisation to a large extent. Perhaps he could give us an outline of the progress he would like to see in that period and the timeframe in which that can be achieved.