Pat Moylan (Fianna Fail)

This issue must be examined. If the initiative is there and such people are pointed in the right direction, they will take it up. There may need to be some movement to ensure such people have a reasonable income because some of them are married and their financial situation must be secured.

The report highlights future demands in the context of economic growth, the labour market, engineering skills, the construction industry, the food processing sector and logistics. Senator Ormonde also referred to the importance of drivers and delivery people as well as financial skills and other issues. The report should be examined by trades-people and those who are planning the future.

In regard to craft skills, some 3% more qualified electricians are required in the next few years, 4% more plumbers, 5% more carpenters and 6% more bricklayers. We must pay attention to this and ensure such people are available and trained to meet the demand. With the accession of new countries to the EU, there will be great opportunities for Irish trades-people to move to those countries to create their own industries and they will be an asset to those countries and their development.

We must not forget agriculture and training in agricultural skills. I compliment Teagasc on the work it has done to date with FÁS by training young farmers in its training colleges throughout the country. We must recognise the importance of the agricultural sector.

The report also states that there are 540 town planners but there is a requirement for 850 and just 30 are qualifying annually. I have strong views on planning and town planners. There can be huge differences between rural and town areas and much contention and many problems have arisen in that regard.

A person who wishes to build a house will often employ a fully qualified architect to design his or her house and yet, after the fact, a town planner may dictate the design of the house. This is not good. We must look at future skills in order to ensure that local authorities have on their staff architects who will vet applications before a town planner sends them back or requires them to be modified. In many cases, architects look at a site in order to design a house which is suitable for the site, the application and the location. Therefore, I have always thought that architects are the experts in house design.

I am not happy that town planners are adequately qualified for developments in rural areas and have a major input into agricultural developments which are important to the countryside. Some town planners are not up to speed with such considerations. If we require 850 town planners and just 30 are qualifying annually, the shortfall will create problems for local authorities.

Our students have never been better prepared to meet the demands to enable the country to develop to its full potential. Whatever qualifications were required of students in the past, whether in architecture or engineering, they were capable of fulfilling the requirements. Furthermore, our teachers are doing an excellent job.

There may be room for improvement in the advice some career guidance teachers are giving some students. In some cases, guidance provided by career guidance teachers to students has been akin to putting a square peg in a round hole, which is not acceptable and much needs to be done in this regard.

I thank the Minister and others for their excellent contributions to the debate and I compliment the expert group. We will not agree with the recommendations of every expert group but this group has outlined a road map for us to follow to address the country's future needs and we must stick with it.