Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator John Paul Phelan for sharing time. I have a particular interest in the issue of how we may assess future trends. I welcome the skills strategy, which highlights the current situation and outlines what can be achieved via education and training between now and 2020. The Minister of State, Deputy Haughey, spoke about access to career guidance. That is crucial. Community education is of vital importance. Those involved in such projects can link up with employers and identify trends. They know the service industry is on its way up. They know that areas like traditional manufacturing and agriculture are on the decline. Such people can come together. The community should help to develop the skills of the future. I ask the Minister of State to concentrate on community education.

We need to use awareness programmes to identify and highlight the benefits of education and training. We need to consider how we can reach every household. Many people want second chance education. Some people did not even get a first chance. Many people want to get back into education and training. Like Senator Boyle, I hate to use the word "upskilling". Many people want to change job styles in some way. We need to increase awareness of what is available. I spoke this morning to a lady who asked me what the House would discuss today. I said we would debate second chance education and lifelong learning. Adult education, which can be described as the scenic route, is the way forward. I know the Minister of State's heart is in the right place. I ask him to identify how we can reach out to people as part of an awareness campaign. The community does not know what is available. People do not know what they can pursue. Are the courses flexible? Are employers flexible? Will those involved in adult education be given time off? We need to keep community education fairly simple and tight if we are to get to the root of it. Small is beautiful. If we start in the community, we will quickly identify certain trends and we can have a competitive, knowledge-based economy by 2020. We can reflect the needs of this country as we go along.

I wish the Minister of State well. The ideas which underpin this concept are excellent. This national strategy will help us to think about these matters. I know the Government has invested more than €25 billion in the national development plan, which will help us to pursue the Minister of State's agenda in this area. If I can help the Minister of State in any way, I will be happy to do so. I have been interested in this area for some time. I made a career in this area before I came to this House. Like Senator John Paul Phelan, I do not want to go back to that career. I am very interested in this matter.