Mr. Neil McDonnell:

I do not have a qualification in education, so I could not give the Deputy a very informed answer. As someone who did courses in practical engineering in a previous career, I know that one of the best ways of introducing children to this area is through play. It is one thing to go through the theories of powers, levers, angles, etc., but it is another to let kids play with ropes, blocks, tackles and sheeves and understand the mathematical game. A small, little, light person can lift a 100 kg weight if they apply the proper mechanical principles. That is easier said than done in the education system. However, if you apply play and problem-solving to education early enough, that is in many ways far better than sitting down to talk about algebraic equations or - I am thinking about the ESB - "volts over amps = ohms", and all that sort of stuff. There are easier ways of getting this into children at an earlier age.