Edward Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I will list some other items but the list is not exhaustive. Many schools run the mini-company programme in conjunction with the student enterprise programme supported by the local enterprise offices but this programme is only offered to a limited number of students in schools. Could we offer a programme to all students on the following: the skills and steps required in setting up a business; the driver theory test; online safety and the risks and benefits of the online world; and communication, including both verbal and written skills? People who have real-world experience in the above-mentioned areas could contribute to many of these programmes. They could also offer an element of mentoring to young people and bridge the gap between the school and world they live in and the realities they will face when they become adults.

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