Standards in education - Response to warnings is far too slow

It’s nearly two years since former chairman of Intel Craig Barrett delivered his broadside, warning that unless we dramatically improved our education system we will become a European backwater.

Since then soaring emigration, especially amongst young graduates, has exacerbated that prospect.

Warning that emerging economies are modernising their education systems and workforce, Mr Barrett said we needed to invest heavily in education to ensure that blue-chip companies stay in Ireland. Unfortunately, he is not alone. John Herlihy of Google and Ray Stata of Analog Devices echoed his warning.