Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. He is probably well aware of the initiative of the Louth & Meath Education and Training Board, LMETB, particularly led by Mr. Martin O'Brien as chief executive. It will be rolling out a specific course in the whole area of cyber information technology and also cyber operational technology for manufactures. I want to compliment our colleague in the Oireachtas, Senator Craughwell, who has been trying to lead an awareness campaign regarding the importance of cybersecurity and creating awareness not just among people in the public service or those at high level in business but in society in general. There is a great opportunity to ensure there is collaboration at further education level across the country.

The Minister will have often heard me repeat the need for collaboration on an all-Ireland basis in the whole area of the further development of further education. Maybe with the evolution of these new programmes, we should be looking at it in the all-Ireland context. There is collaboration at further and higher education level but there is always scope for more. The Louth & Meath ETB initiative will be rolled out in the middle of June. That needs to be replicated in every ETB in the country. I hope that message will go out directly from the Minister and the Department.

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