11 Jul 2013, 17:47
Minister for Employment and Learning of the Northern Ireland Executive Dr Stephen Farry told an Oireachtas Committee that considerable scope exists to build on current levels of cross border cooperation in areas of education, particularly in the areas of higher and further education.
11 July 2013
The engagement this afternoon formed part of a series of meetings by the Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement on the subject. In recent weeks, the Committee has met with Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn TD, Presidents of Institutes of Technology in border counties and St Angela’s and the University of Ulster teacher training colleges.
Committee Chairman Joe McHugh TD says: “We thank Minister Farry for detailed briefing and welcome his openness to developing practical and commonsense cooperation and coordination in the area of education on both sides of the border. Our discussions focussed in part on the limited student flow between both jurisdictions to third level institutions. Currently, only one percent of the student population in the Republic are from Northern Ireland, while 4.5 percent of students in Northern Ireland are from south of the border. It was agreed that greater efforts were required to promote universities and colleges to students on an all-island basis.
“Perhaps more importantly in the medium term, Committee Members argued that collaboration was required at a macro level to ensure optimal education choices were available on an all island basis, in order to eliminate unnecessary duplication, achieve a better return on investment and provide higher quality outcomes for third level students. The issue of youth unemployment was also raised and it was highlighted that best practice in delivering on programmes was necessary to provide jobs and training for young people disconnected from the employment and education systems.
“Undoubtedly, considerable synergies exist in the provision of third level education on the island and, as a Committee, we look forward to continuing our engagement with Minister Farry on the practical and commonsense steps required to advance North South cooperation in these areas.”
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Members of the Committee:
Deputies Seán Conlan, Seán Crowe, Clare Daly, Regina Doherty, Peter Fitzpatrick, Frank Feighan, Martin Ferris, Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Michael P. Kitt, Joe McHugh, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Joe O’Reilly, Brendan Smith and Joanna Tuffy.
Senators Jim D’Arcy, Maurice Cummins, Mary Moran, Mary White.
Chairman: Joe McHugh, TD Vice-Chairman: Joe O'Reilly, TD