Dr. Adele Bergin:

Dr. McGuinness touched on various education policies. The South has a stronger culture than the North of evaluation of policies. We did an evaluation of post-leaving certificate education. Our research was involved in establishing the evidence base needed when SOLAS was thinking about the future of the further education and training system. At various stages we have a better culture in Ireland of stopping, evaluating and trying to learn lessons on what has been successful, seeing whether there have been unintended consequences and asking whether we should change policy.

Senator McGreehan asked whether we could think of a policy that has worked in one place but not the other. I know of many policies that in the South we have said have worked, not worked or half worked. There is not the same perception of what has or has not worked in Northern Ireland. The culture of evaluation does not seem to be there. The danger with this is that a wrong policy could be followed or a policy could have unintended externalities for some time before it is stopped.