Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 February 2024
15. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has considered the role that further and higher education could play in the future in supporting the contribution of people after they retire from full-time work both from their past experience and empowering them for a third age; and if he will consider evolving a new strategy in this sphere. [9081/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis is an interesting question in that it proposes to utilise the skills and experience of those previously in the workforce who have learnt through the long road how to deal with the issues that arise. It asks the Minister if he proposes to utilise their skills and abilities in the way that is suggested to empower them possibly for a third age, but for a second age anyway.
This is an excellent question. I am sure it is not because Deputy Bruton does not intend to seek re-election to the Dáil and has announced his retirement that he is looking to know if he can play a role. There would be nobody better to play a role in our education system because we have certainly learned from him here.
This question gets to the very heart of the ageism that exists in society, of which there are so many examples, as we all know. I think we all agree on this. There are so many arbitrary ages that have just grown up over time. There is a cultural issue in education, where we see it as something that is age bound. There are so many people at a later stage of life, whatever that means, who may wish to access education and may benefit from education economically but also just from a social and well-being point of view. I have met some of these people. There are also many people who are retired with immense skill sets who would be happy to give back and contribute to passing on those skill sets through the education sector, formally or informally, to the next generation.
I believe my Department can make a valuable contribution to the lives of older age groups by ensuring they are facilitated to participate in all aspects of education. I view this question as thought-provoking and refreshing. It is very important in the context of an ageing population that we can facilitate equal and fair opportunities for older people to participate in all aspects of society.
The OECD skills strategy review, which we discussed earlier today, highlights the need for an increased focus on short and flexible skilling options for individuals entering or transitioning into the workforce. The review also identifies older people who can at times become vulnerable in terms of their lifelong learning participation because of those cultural or stereotypical barriers we need to break down. It provides a comprehensive set of actions relevant to responding to the upskilling and reskilling needs of that group.
There are a number of strategies under way across Government to help support older people in our society, such as addressing fundamental digital skills, with a target of 80% of Irish adults developing basic digital literacy skills. However, I do not think it is actually about supporting older people in this context of education. It is about empowering them and about looking at ways in which our education system can be opened to them, both in terms of sharing their knowledge and gaining knowledge. On the basis of this question and the basis we are in the European year of skills, I now intend to task my Department to work with its agencies to see how we can respond to this suggestion comprehensively.
I believe it was John Kenneth Galbraith, the famous American economist, who first thought up this idea. He proved the point that utilising the skills and experience that were already available could reap benefit to the economy tenfold. He did not expect those who were retired to carry out a long day’s work, as they had previously experienced, and he suggested that they should take longer holidays and so on, but keep themselves refreshed and renewed in what they knew best, so they were in a position to hand on to the new generation and the new public and private system, wherever that might be.
Does the Minister believe he can take inspiration from that? We will talk about him later as well.
I am always inspired by Deputy Durkan's contributions and I am indeed inspired by that suggestion. There is a real issue here. Some 62% of adults aged over 65 in Ireland have completed primary or secondary education. There is absolutely no reason in the wide earthly world why third level education cannot be open to them at a later stage of life, an opportunity that may not have been afforded to them in the way it is afforded to the current younger generation. The SOLAS skills to advance programme offers free upskilling support to people in key areas such as digital skills, remote working, healthcare and smart driving. My Department is absolutely committed to making sure that education is for everyone no matter your age, your gender, the part of the country you live in or what you did earlier in life. As a former and recovering Minister for Health, I also know that the link between health and education is real. The link between access to education, skills, knowledge and learning and a person's well-being and mental and physical health is very potent. I will reflect on the suggestions of Deputies Durkan and Bruton and revert to them.
I thank the Minister for his refreshing and informed attitude to the question and the concept. When advanced in years, being almost 100 at the time - he was almost 100 when he died - a student asked Professor Galbraith when he stopped learning. His immediate answer was that he was still learning.
Every day is a school day in here. I can certainly agree with that. Any day you do not learn something new is both a rare and a disappointing day. Intergenerational learning is also really important. I have seen good examples of this in community education and further education. Young people pass on their skills, which are often skills in technology, to older people while older people pass on the life skills and expertise they have garnered. It creates the culture of respect that is so important in our communities and in our country. However, we do need to do more on this. I will be very clear on that. The pace of digital change in particular means that older people can sometimes feel they are locked out of participation in society. That cannot be the way. We have free courses, a number of initiatives, a literacy strategy, a digital literacy strategy and a skills to advance strategy. In the first instance, we need to get the message out that education is for everyone at every age. We then need to significantly signpost and listen to older people as to how we can make education more accessible.
