Feargal Quinn (Independent)

At the top of the scale, that is, at the national framework of qualifications levels eight to ten, there will be a slight shortage of people. However, below the very top of the scale, that is, at NFQ levels six and seven, the report foresees a significant shortage of people. Most significantly in terms of its social impact, the report foresees a significant surplus of people at NFQ levels one to five. At present only a relatively small number of people are unable to find jobs because their lack of skills makes them unemployable. This report suggests that by 2020, a much larger number of people will be unemployable for that reason.

This is the situation to which we must face up. There is no dispute about what we must do to reach the levels of skills that we must achieve by 2020. The issue does not pertain to wondering what we need to do as that is clear. However, we lack a clear awareness of the problem facing us and the disastrous consequences for society unless we reach out and firmly grasp the nettle.

I will summarise in terms I have expressed in the House previously. I believe that our overwhelming national priority at present should be to invest a considerably greater share of our resources into the field of education and training. The conventional wisdom in this area is that education already gets more than its fair share of the cake. That is incorrect and we follow such wisdom at our peril.

I recently visited Estonia, which I had never visited before. It is a smashing and interesting country to visit and is considerably smaller than Ireland. However, a much higher percentage of people there are able to read and write and are computer literate than is the case in Ireland. It has a much higher level of broadband use than does Ireland. We operate in a competitive environment in which the rest of the world is examining the Irish success story and asking how it was achieved. One reason for my invitation to South America and my being questioned in Estonia is that people want to be told about such success because they wish to emulate it.

The Minister of State used the word "complacency" and I believe there is some danger of it. There is a danger of overconfidence among the younger generation in particular who do not have the experience of knowing what the 1980s were like. We must be aware that we operate in a competitive world and success depends on ensuring that we take all the necessary steps. While the steps outlined in the House today are certainly important, above all, a greatly increased degree of investment in education should be our priority.