Joe Walsh (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)

I thank each contributor to the debate. I apologise for the inability of the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Noel Dempsey, to attend. As has been said, he is abroad.

A report such as Education at a Glance is vital for informing the debate and countering exaggerated claims or opinions that have no basis in fact. I like the idea of Education at a Glance but I wonder what size this report would be if it was an in-depth study. At any rate, it gives us the opportunity to debate education in Ireland and that, in itself, is a good thing. Some areas of learning are hardly measurable but remain critical for success. Overseas investors in Ireland are appreciative of our education system not only of the quality of educational attainment, but also the flexibility, adaptability and a generally positive work ethic. They are important qualities in young Irish graduates and school leavers.

We should not neglect the importance of family and community background in supporting effective learning outcomes. Research by the OECD confirms the importance of many factors outside the school environment. Successive Education at a Glance reports confirm that, on average, from the age five to 16, young people do not spend more than about one fifth of their total waking time in school in any OECD country. Notwithstanding that fact, schools are crucial in the formation of many skills and abilities to provide personal fulfilment, economic competitiveness and social cohesion. However, we should not expect schools to cure all social ills. They need to work with other areas in the life of learners.

Much of the debate about education in the past has focused on resources, investment, class size and the number of teachers and students. These are still fundamentally important. However, the OECD, along with other international bodies, has helped to widen the debate by introducing new information about skills, cross-curricular achievement, measures of literacy as well as comparisons of how schools are managed and how the curriculum is delivered. There is now a greater possibility of examining how well we do compared to investment and how effective we are in terms of meeting the goals of education.

There is, however, a risk of sinking in a large quantity of information on many areas, but the simple messages still stand out. Education is good for individuals, society and the economy. Education has a profound effect on social equality and social inequalities shape access to education, especially at higher levels. Education covers a wide range of areas from schools to other contexts in which people learn throughout their lives. Other issues are the quality of teaching and learning, the use made of resources and the practical implementation of curricula matters, alongside the amount spent on education.