Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

We are not all madly third level-educated people. Thankfully, I am delighted to have such an education but not everybody will take that option. We need drivers, transport workers, forklift operators and people to do the operative jobs and this has not been emphasised enough. I ask the new chairman to examine this area. I will not deal with the financial skills because they look after themselves.

Senator White referred to the importance of soft skills. I am familiar with them, I believe in them and I have spoken about them in second level schools. All courses at second level should have formal assessment which is formally recognised in a module dealing with soft skills programmes. All university courses should contain a soft skills module.

I ask the new chairman, Ms Anne Heraty, to hold an inservice day to link all the educational institutions, industry and bodies, such as FÁS and Teagasc. It should be a brainstorming day to discuss this issue at length with the people who will be initiating and implementing the recommendations. I ask the Tánaiste or the new chairperson to move immediately so that this report will not gather dust on a shelf.