Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We can be exceptionally proud of the work we have achieved as a country in educational attainment. The route presented to my dad for education when compared with that presented to my son are such that it is like two different countries. We have crossed many extraordinary milestones in that regard but there is one remaining milestone to be crossed, which relates to the provision of further education and training. The Minister, Deputy Harris, made a significant announcement this morning on funding the establishment of the Atlantic Technological University, ATU. We also need to look at the infrastructure that we provide for the delivery of further education and training, FET, in this country. The people operating in that sector are deserving of our respect and we need to have infrastructure and buildings that convey respect to a sector that has a huge role to play in education in Ireland. The Galway-Roscommon Education and Training Board, GRETB, currently has a very significant proposal before the Department for a new FET college that could and should become the exemplar for the development of similar facilities throughout the country. I urge the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Harris, to consider that application favourably. If we look at what is happening in Armagh, we should be following that example and looking to give the respect to the students and practitioners who operate in our FET sector.

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