Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)

I asked this question to use the example of the northern part of my constituency, which is a type of microcosm of what is happening in the country. I had access to some of the information which showed that in the Clondalkin village or Lucan areas, there were relatively high levels of access to third level institutions from second level schools but in north Clondalkin, which is a RAPID area, and south west Clondalkin, which is particularly affected because it is not in a RAPID area — I hope the DEIS programme will sort that out — it is clear that within 800 metres there are huge disparities in terms of the numbers of students going to third level. That presents serious difficulties in terms of the future costs, economically as well as social, to the people and families concerned.

Does the Minister believe the narrowing of the gap is taking place too slowly? Whatever about access programmes to third level in second level institutions, will she acknowledge that in trying to tackle both the social and financial difficulties that lead to children losing interest in or aptitude for third level by the time they enter second level, much more needs to be done at the start of the education system? By that I mean rolling out the Early Start programme in all disadvantaged areas, providing more funding for the National Educational Welfare Board, the statutory body enabled to target families and identify the problems to ensure that the children who stay in school in the crucial early years benefit from the education system and are in a position to continue on to third level.

The problem is that students leave school at the time of the junior certificate or even before that, and by that time the battle has been lost. Will the Minster acknowledge that a serious disparity still exists and that increased investment at primary level, parallel to the announcement on the so-called fourth PhD level, is also needed?

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