John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

If that was the case, the sitting could have been suspended for a few minutes, but I understand that may not have been the position on this occasion.

I am not particularly pleased with the motion the Government has put before the House. It is common for it, when availing of Private Members' time, to put these particularly ridiculous motions before the House in which it praises its own efforts in particular sectors. However, nothing could be further from the truth in the matter of lifelong learning. There is a danger that every Government will believe its own propaganda and mistake statements for actions and press releases for the reality. The Government has succumbed to that danger and this motion is confirmation, if it is needed, that the Government is seriously out of touch with reality. Only the truly delusional could congratulate this Government for its commitment to lifelong learning at a time when one fifth of the labour force has only a junior certificate qualification. Before I go any further, I should state that I do not doubt the commitment of Senator Ó Murchú or the Minister of State, Deputy Haughey to lifelong education, but it is unfortunate this commitment is not shared by the Government, which has failed to properly fund the service or to understand the strategic importance of lifelong learning in the national economy or to the lives and career development of people who are living and working in a knowledge economy.

Ireland is currently gripped by the worst recession in living memory and there is no business, household or individual which has not been impacted. The global credit crunch, the domestic banking crisis and, in particular, the implosion of the construction sector have hit the Irish economy hard.

The term "the smart economy" is another that is often used but little understood by Ministers. The smart economy is shorthand for describing an economy which makes full use of information technology and communications to drive innovation, research and development in a world where economic growth must be environmentally sustainable. In essence, the smart economy is all about driving productivity and increasing the value of our assets. The biggest asset we have in Ireland right now is our people and the best way to drive productivity is through increasing educational attainment.

It is estimated today that every year the average level of education of the adult population is raised there is a corresponding increase of 3.7% in long-term economic growth, which is a very significant figure. However, education is not only about economics or growth; it is really about people. Behind all the statistics are real people - thirty-somethings with young families faced with losing their homes, parents anxiously worried about the future of their teenage children and construction workers, in particular, wondering whether to take the boat or to stay in Ireland.

There are now in excess of 440,000 people claiming unemployment assistance, up more than 50,000 from this time last year. These people need more than monetary assistance; they need hope and the means to build a new future in a reborn economy. They also need a system of lifelong learning that works and that delivers real and meaningful education and training when and where they need it. They need a system that facilitates the learner and does not put obstacles in the way, but this is not what they are getting right now. How can the Government, with a straight face, ask this House to commend it for its commitment to lifelong learning when in 2009 it accounted for a mere 4% of the overall education budget or 0.22% of GDP.

In the last budget at a time of spiralling unemployment, the Government took a number of measures to discourage people from going back into education. From September 2010, if one qualifies for the back to education allowance or VTOS allowance for a PLC course, one will no longer be eligible for the student maintenance grant which could support one's participation by an additional €6,500 per year. Budget 2010 disbanded the Millennium Partnership Fund which provided some financial support for adult learners, particularly those from disadvantaged communities. In addition, if one is eligible for a student grant, then one can expect to receive a reduction of 5% in accordance with changes announced in the last budget.

There is now a significant demand for adult education. People want to learn. They want to build their skills and they want to get back into the workforce. Last year Aontas, the adult education service, received just over 6,000 queries - the number has doubled since 2007. In 2009, there were 37,000 applicants for 13,000 places on PLC courses. The VTOS recorded a 50% increase in applications over the previous year. The number of applications for the back-to-education allowance approved in October 2009 was almost 19,000, up from a total figure for the previous year of 11,500 applications.

The people are willing to work to get themselves a second chance at education but the system is failing them. Due to the public service embargo, adult education officers are leaving the system and are not being replaced. I am aware of the position in County Mayo, for example, where both adult education officers retired in 2009 with the result that there is now no-one holding that position in the entire county.

I have dealt with several queries, as, I am sure, have other Senators, from unemployed persons who are trying to find out to what they are entitled when they seek to go back to education and what courses are available, and to be honest, the system just does not work. Why can we not put in place a single website where a person can answer a questionnaire which tells him or her, at least roughly speaking, to what he or she is entitled and allows him or her to search and apply for suitable courses? Why, in this day and age, are we still putting people through hoops to find basic information?

If one is born in certain parts of this city, or maybe certain parts of the country, one is more likely to end up in Mountjoy than in Trinity, and the State would gladly pay more to keep you there for a year than it ever spent on your education. There is no more shameful waste than the waste of human talent. As a nation, we can no longer afford a system that does not enable lifelong learning. The system should not only enable, but encourage and foster lifelong learning so that we can develop all of our people's potential.

Lifelong learning can mean starting at the beginning, picking up from early school leaving on which Senator Healy-Eames has recently done a report or retraining after unemployment. We should not forget that for many lifelong learning means starting, not restarting, their education. We really need to look at proper funding for the community educational sector.

This House cannot commend the Government for its commitment to lifelong learning, rather we should condemn it for the poverty of its ambition and the ham-fisted ad hoc way it has approached one of the central social and economic challenges of our times, namely giving our unemployed citizens new skills and renewed hope.