Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 March 2004
128 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress made by his Department in pushing forward the Lisbon agenda during Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9704/04]
View answerThe strategic goal set at the Lisbon European Council in March 2000 is to make the EU the most competitive and dynamic knowledge based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion, by 2010. To ensure their contribution to the Lisbon strategy, Ministers of Education in 2001 agreed a work programme on the future objectives of education and training systems.
Three major goals were set to be achieved by 2010 for the benefit of the citizens and the EU as a whole: to improve the quality and effectiveness of EU education and training systems, to ensure that they are accessible to all and to open up education and training to the wider world.
In the context of the Irish Presidency I decided to prioritise certain areas of the Lisbon agenda. A major priority of the Irish Presidency in the education and training area has been to review the progress made on the Lisbon objectives to date. On 26 February last I chaired an education council which approved an interim report on the implementation of a work programme established to follow up the objectives set by the Lisbon agenda as regards education and training systems in Europe.
The key message in the interim report is that human resources are the European Union's main asset. They are central to the creation and transmission of knowledge and a determining factor in each society's potential for innovation. The report emphasises that investment in education and training is a key factor of the EU's competitiveness, sustainable growth, and employment and therefore a prerequisite for achieving the economic, social and environmental goals set in Lisbon for the European Union. In addition, it highlights the need to strengthen synergies and complementarity between education and other policy areas, such as employment, research and innovation, and macroeconomic policy.
The report also states that in order to make the EU the leading knowledge based economy in the world, there is an urgent need to invest more and more efficiently and effectively in human resources. This involves a higher level of public sector investment in key areas for the knowledge society and, where appropriate, a higher level of private investment, particularly in higher education, adult education and continuing vocational training. Community funding, including the structural funds and the education and training programmes, should have an increasing role to play in supporting the development of human capital.
The interim report identifies three main levers for action in the education sector. These are to focus reform on key areas such as higher education, adult education and continuing vocational training, to make lifelong learning a concrete reality and to establish a Europe of education and training.
Another important element in achieving the Lisbon goals is the Europass proposal. Europass is a new instrument for better recognition of qualifications and skills in the enlarged Europe. It provides for a single framework for the transparency of qualifications and competencies and will be accessible via the Internet.
Also at the next Education Council in May, I intend to bring forward conclusions on quality assurance in vocational education and training and on common European principles for the validation of non-formal and informal learning. I also intend to secure the adoption of a Council Resolution on lifelong guidance. High quality lifelong guidance provision that supports lifelong learning, social inclusion, social equity, mobility, and employability is a key component of the Lisbon strategy.
Work is progressing on agreeing and implementing the consolidated Directive on the recognition of professional qualifications. The Presidency is committed to further advancing this agenda to the maximum extent possible to achieve a liberalisation and streamlining in an area which is critical to mobility and competitiveness which are key Lisbon goals.
