Dominic Hannigan (Labour)

I welcome the publication, tomorrow, of the Government's innovation taskforce report and have seen reports of what it will contain. One recommendation is that we improve our broadband capacity which still lags behind international averages. The report also discusses mathematics and how we can encourage more people to study the subject. One suggested proposal is that we increase the number of CAO points students get for mathematics. I would welcome that. It fits in with the report published by Engineers Ireland last month on mathematics and science. One of that report's conclusions was that currently twice as many people study geography as study mathematics but it is through mathematics and science we will dig our way out of this recession.

The Engineers Ireland report suggested 18 different proposals for increasing the number of people studying mathematics. It looked at items such as tax breaks for teachers and better training. One interesting proposal was to ban calculators at primary school level in order to increase numeracy. If we are to get our way out of this recession it will be by encouraging people to study mathematics and science and, therefore, I would welcome a debate on this matter and encourage the Leader to arrange one in conjunction with a debate on the innovation taskforce report.