Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank everyone for being here. I will ask my questions in one block to be efficient. As my colleague said, we could spend the whole day here discussing all of the really interesting aspects that have been brought to us. Can I thank Ms Healy for bringing so much colour into Leinster House today? It is great to see it. I really like her colour scheme.

On 9 April I had the opportunity to attend a presentation of Gaisce awards as well as QQI certificates at NLN in Athy. Anne Marie Hogan and Claire Brennan are doing an absolutely incredible job. I learned quite a bit and was very impressed with the work that has gone on. There was a young man on the course who would not previously have been able to go out in independent living but has learned the social and life skills that he needs. Rory's Stories was there as a guest speaker. I was very impressed with his story and how he related to all of those there.

I was intrigued by how Ms Healy found out about the programme. Did she find it accessible both in being easy to get to by transport and also to be easy to get into? Ms Bird spoke about finance, etc. Are there waiting lists for young people who would avail of it but cannot be given a place because of finance?

Turning to Worldskills, it is good to see Mr. English again. He has done tremendous work. It is great to see the gender equity since the last time we had engagement here. It is fantastic. I congratulate Mr. McLoughlin on his award. It is great to see. Mr. English was looking for a week around Worldskills. What has the engagement been like with the Department of higher and further education on that? It is important we support it. It is terrific that Worldskills is having the event in Dublin, and I have no doubt many people will get to it, but it would be great to have a roadshow so that those who are not near Dublin would have the opportunity. That parity of esteem around apprenticeships and skills is hugely important. When Mr. McLoughlin was in school, was it through career guidance that he learned more? We have been talking for some time about how career guidance teachers are essential in order to inform and empower more young people to go down this road.

We probably do not have time to go back to Skillnet but I thank it for its really valuable work.