Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Certainly. Given the needs of the nation, should funding to universities and to institutes of technology be linked to job creation targets? All the institutions here are engaged in research. The universities benefit hugely from funding from Science Foundation Ireland. Over €1 billion has been spent in that space since 2000. The institutes of technology are involved in applied research and they are very close to the market. Yesterday the Western Development Commission was here to showcase businesses from the west of Ireland which have been funded with seed capital from the commission. One of the businesses is linked to NUI Galway and another is linked to GMIT. Both businesses are in the job creation sector and both have created jobs. However, the institutions are given no credit for having created jobs.

The institutes and universities should receive credit in terms of the provision of funding when they create jobs. It is a new target area in respect of which the Minister and the Taoiseach should seek to get the universities and colleges to engage. I direct that question at Mr. Costello and Dr. Hinfelaar.

My second question to Mr. Costello is on the first year experience of students at third level. Does he want to see the leaving certificate being retained as a terminal examination? He will be aware that we are engaged in a huge programme of reform. We have had reform in the junior certificate programme and are now moving to deal with the senior cycle programme. He spoke in favour of collapsing the leaving certificate grade bands and having common entry requirements at third level. What exactly does he mean by this? What is his view and that of Dr. Hinfelaar of the notion that the leaving certificate programme is serving the needs of third level as opposed to those of students at second level? Ms Bezborodova might have a view on this issue also. The colleges and universities should have their own entry requirements, apart from relying on the second level programme. Approximately 62% of students go on to third level.