I am delighted to be at this beautiful location overlooking Galway Bay to officially launch the Galway Business School this evening.
Galway Business School – the only independent third-level business college in the west of Ireland – opens windows of opportunity for students and their prospective employers. Through your Higher National Diplomas in Business, Finance and Marketing, to Diplomas in Psychology and Legal Studies, you offer a wide range of courses geared towards meeting specific business needs. In this way, you enable students in the west of Ireland to access a range of high-quality courses on their doorsteps, whilst also addressing the immediate needs of employers in the region. This School is proof of the enterprising culture that exists in Galway today.
I know that the real enterprising individuals behind this school are its two directors – Celestine Rowland and David Niland. Both Celestine and David are well known on the Galway scene for many years, having established the highly successful Galway Cultural Institute back in 1989. Over those years, you have been bringing students from around the world to the City of the Tribes to get a flavour of Irish life and to perfect their English with lilting Irish tones! I am delighted to see that the international focus is also very much part of the Galway Business School as well.
I would also like to pay tribute to John Bourke and Dr. Chris Coughlan for their support of the Galway Business School in their role as Non-Executive Directors. Since opening your doors in 2004, I know that the entire GBS team has pulled together to make this initiative a success. My congratulations go to you all on the hard work and effort you have put in over that time.
As stated in the Programme for Government, improving the level and quality of participation and achievement at every level of education, is a priority. Our under-35 year olds today are amongst the most likely in the world to have a third-level qualification. The proportion of people aged between 25 and 34 with a third level education has risen from just over 27% in 1999 to 39.4% last year. In fact, it is widely recognised today that our phenomenal achievements in recent years would not have come about, were it not for the emphasis and investment put into education – and in particular third-level education – over the years.
As we strive today to become one of the leading knowledge economies in the world, it is critical that we continue to provide appropriate third-level educational opportunities for all. And, that is exactly what the Galway Business School is aiming to do. With your emphasis on facilitating success, you enable students to pursue courses best suited to their employment needs. Furthermore, with courses run both on a full-time and part-time basis, students have the flexibility to undertake their studies at a pace that suits them best.
In this way, you are also meeting the need for lifelong learning. In an era where change is one of the few certainties in life, we must ensure that our workforce is equipped to meet and deal with that change. In this context, learning must be an ongoing process. People must be able to access educational opportunities at all of life’s stages and employees must have a chance to upskill throughout their careers.
The good news for all those graduating from the Galway Business School is that the employment prospects in Ireland today are extremely positive. Recent CSO figures show a remarkable achievement in job creation in 2004. 73,000 extra jobs were created last year, which exceeded all commentators’ estimates by a very wide margin. Particularly good news is also the drop in the rate of long-term unemployment. This now stands at 1.4% for the first quarter of 2005, compared to 9% ten years ago. In addition, the rate of unemployment for those aged 15 to 24 also dropped sharply in the first few months of this year.
While we can be justifiably proud of these achievements today, it is important that we do not rest on our laurels. Across the board, people need to be provided with access to training and development that will drive ongoing innovation in this country. And, from what I see here today, the Galway Business School is well positioned to meet that need going forward.
I wish you every success with your ongoing development.
Thank you.
ENDS