Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I am not sure that top-up fees add to a university's competitiveness. I do not like the higher education league tables that are used internationally but the Government's investment in research and development in universities has led to Trinity College gaining a place in the top 100, UCD gaining a place in the top 200 and DCU and UL increasing their standings significantly by making it into the top 300.

The Government's investment is starting to show on the international stage but I feel it is more significant that the attainment of higher education in Ireland is far ahead of many other countries. Some 41% of Irish 25 to 34 year olds have received higher education, though the OECD average is only 32%. The outcomes of Irish education are better than the outcomes in other countries. Ireland has the second highest retention rate of all OECD countries, so the investment that has been made in support of students is working well.

Every educational institution in the country could use more money but I decided a couple of years ago that, no matter what economic demands are on other sectors, each sector of education is deserving in its own right. It is true that in 2002, as Deputy Quinn mentioned, the higher education sector suffered when things got tight but I feel it is an important part of our economy and we must continue to support it.

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