Mr. Humphrey Jones:

It is a real challenge. There is no one clear answer to it. If we reverse-engineer it, we need to make sure we have enough people doing leaving certificate physics. If we reverse-engineer it further again, is the junior cycle preparing students for leaving certificate physics? Is that a barrier for them not going on to leaving certificate physics? If they are not going from junior cycle to senior cycle, they are not going to go on to third level either. If we have a smaller cohort of physics graduates in a very competitive work environment, are they going to work in the private sector where they are well paid, or will they become teachers in Dublin schools where they are paying enormous rents and struggling to survive? In terms of our remit and our level of control, it is about going back and ensuring that we have enough people coming out of second level with a solid foundation of physics that allows them to feel confident going on to third level. I know many third level lecturers who are worried about a potential gap between second level and third level physics. The trend is that we are dumbing down our courses. We are dumbing down junior cycle and we may well dumb down senior cycle as well. That leaves us with an even greater challenge. We need to make sure, through a campaign and concerted effort, that we get more and more people studying physics and chemistry in order that we have enough graduates going into the system and hopefully providing it. It is not for me to decide whether the Government may need to do something to incentivise physics or maths teachers working in cities like Dublin where there is a higher cost of living. It is certainly a factor, however.