Professor Diarmuid Hegarty:

I absolutely agree with the Senator. It is all about equality of opportunity. It is about more than just being at college. It goes right back to primary level. It goes back to the family. Students in Dublin 6 have the advantage that their parents probably went to third level. They are committed to third level. What will change things significantly is learn and earn. Apprenticeships will change things. We have a scheme with the Central Bank whereby it employs students from leaving certificate and pays their fees to study by night. It is schemes such as these that will change things. It needs to go further back.

We have made endless submissions to the Department. I must pay tribute to the work done by universities, technological universities and schools on getting people into third level. More funds need to be focused on this. We have made endless submissions to the Government asking for a target to be set and to pay on results. We have asked for performance to be paid for based on the numbers who get into and succeed at third level. This would concentrate energies on achieving results. We have made submission after submission on this but they are falling on deaf ears. This is largely due to ideological obstacles. If we want the problem dealt with, we need to get energy focused on it right from primary level. It can be done but it needs imagination, energy and determination. We have offered it but it has fallen on deaf ears.