Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister. I appreciate his response. On the opportunity around lifelong learning, whether it is about engaging part time or it involves lone parents, maybe the age of 65 is too low. I know of many people who have retired and have gone back to do PhDs and postdocs in their 70s. If we expanded that age limit, what figures would come back? Even locally, I know that. People at different stages of their lives who are re-engaging with learning, or who have a passion for a particular sector or topic or something practical, could be facilitated through the education and training boards, ETBs, or in schools or colleges of further education in their own time. It is also about mental health and well-being. Lifelong learning prevents isolation and connects people with a new group and learning environment. It provides a lot of hope for people who usually have a lot of ideas. There are a lot of wins for us in that regard.