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

I can assure the Minister that Cavan and Monaghan ETB will work very diligently on this. It has put together a very strong business case to advance this accommodation proposal. I do not think that we in this House can emphasise enough the importance of the further education sector. Over the years I have seen many young people who may have come from communities where there was not a particularly heavy emphasis on education go on to further education, such as Cavan Institute and Monaghan Institute, and get qualifications. Sometimes it is a pathway to higher education or to a very successful career.

As the Minister knows well, another very important aspect of the colleges of further education is that they respond to local needs of local industry and communities. Again, I emphasise the opportunities there are for further collaboration with South West College in Enniskillen and Omagh. I have had a very close association with those colleges over the years and there is great potential there to develop the sector on an all-Ireland basis. I know the capital budget was put in place was to ensure these colleges have the most modern and appropriate accommodation to meet the needs of their students and the staff delivering the services there.

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