Results 2,061-2,080 of 5,134 for speaker:Mairéad Farrell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: Could Ms Sheridan explain what that means?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: That is very interesting. There are a lot of very interesting responses out of that. Generally, people would not have thought of that whole concept of the examples. We all remember doing our leaving certificate, and examples that could be in a question that would lead on. I am quite surprised, based on what Ms Forster said regarding eight- to nine-year-olds, that this shift can be seen...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: It would be good to have a kind of formalised approach. We all know of different workplaces and different community organisations where there could be an excellent principal who has a massive focus on this. Another principal might be dealing with something else because they are extremely busy people. I might move away from that topic. In her opening statement, Ms O'Connor spoke about...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: If I were an Irish and English teacher, I could do a two-year course part time to get other subjects I could teach. Is that what Ms O'Connor means?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: Does anybody else have a view on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: What is it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: That is a really good concept. I went to quite a small school and, as a result, we did not have a whole range of subject choices. One of the opening statements referred to maths and so on. Students need to do certain subjects. I represent four offshore islands, one of which does not have a secondary school, another issue I have to raise with the Department at some point. The other...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: That is great.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: Excellent. They have a chunk of it done before the actual leaving certificate. How much of it is then based on the written paper?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: That is really brilliant

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: It is very interesting. I know I have taken up a good bit of time but I have another question. There are challenges and the witnesses have outlined them well. They have also outlined what they are doing to counteract them. If they had one ask of us as legislators, what could we on this side do that would assist in the work they are trying to do? This is something practical that can come...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: Gabhaim buíochas leis na hoifigigh as teacht os comhair an choiste. It has been a really interesting reading the opening statements before the meeting and then hearing them now. It is clear that a significant amount of work is being done involving some very exciting things.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: I have ten minutes so I do not have much time to ask questions. I might start with Mr. Brownlee. I hate to start on a negative but it is a question I need to ask and then I will continue with all the other things. I ask about the waiting times for the block-release training. I am new to the position of Sinn Féin spokesperson on further and higher education, but this is something that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: This person knows of other people who have gone through the system quicker. Why is that? Should it not be based on the length of time somebody is waiting? This person could be waiting 21 months for something that should have taken seven months.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: I will follow up directly

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: On the back of this, I may submit parliamentary questions seeking the waiting times in different areas. I appreciate the response. We have people with their lives on hold. We need to think about how we can stop people from emigrating. We very clearly need people who can do construction at this time. It is quite exciting that the opening statement refers to emerging areas such as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: That is very interesting and exciting. In some ways, we are preparing a workforce when we do not even know what we need because things are changing so rapidly. We had two apprentices before the committee last week to give their perspectives. One issue that really stood out was that they did not feel they were steered in that direction. One of the witnesses mentioned the transition year,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: What would that mean for them after the leaving certificate?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: I find that very interesting. I have only one minute left so I can only ask one more question. It is in respect of QQI, mathematics and people who have the opportunity to gain the mathematical foundations required for STEM programmes so that they do not have to go back to secondary school. I am interested in the size of the take-up, which has been relatively low, as Dr. Cullen has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of STEM in Irish Education: Discussion (Resumed). (25 Apr 2023)

Mairéad Farrell: Does Dr. Cullen believe that people are aware of it?