Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the hour of coding being run by many schools around the country and in 180 countries worldwide in which children have the opportunity to participate in coding and programming. Of course, one hour is not going to change the world, but it brings to the fore the need for urgent action to integrate programming and coding into the learning lives of our young people and, indeed, our not so young people. If we are to genuinely and earnestly prepare our young people for the reality of the 21st century workplace, coding and programming must become as commonplace as breathing. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Richard Bruton, into the House again to have a full debate on the integration of technology in our education system. In particular, I would like him to update us on his progress in tackling the ICT deficits affecting primary and secondary school coverage, including replacement of computer hardware, curriculum recognition and broadband connectivity, as well as updating us on the timeline for the full implementation of the computer programme developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment in collaboration with Lero, the Irish software engineering research centre, in 2013.

To leave coding and programming as an optional extra is doing an injustice to our children. The Minister's background in enterprise makes him acutely aware of the urgency for computer science to be offered to leaving certificate students. We are already decades behind in affording our young people equality of opportunity when it comes to employment in which ICT skills are required. Given the uncertainty and volatility in the national, EU and worldwide economy brought about by the fragility of the banking system, Brexit and moves to address the use of corporation tax as a main element of competitiveness, it is imperative that we truly prepare the workforce of the future for the digital world.