Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Ever since people started to lose their jobs in the economic downturn and the level of unemployment started to rise dramatically, the Labour Party has been arguing that the Government needs to provide additional places in higher and further education to meet the needs of those who lose their jobs. We tabled a Private Members' motion on the issue in May 2008, and others in October 2008, March 2009 and June 2009. We published a document on it in April 2009 and it was a major element in our pre-budget submission. The argument is that people who lose their jobs ought to be provided with educational opportunities rather than simply being on the dole, as they wish themselves.

The figures published by the CAO yesterday on the numbers of people applying for admission to third level colleges are clear - every place has two applicants. The Government made a number of announcements over the course of the past year but the numbers involved are very small. The Government has not provided sufficient places in higher and further education to meet the need and demand that exists at present. If the Government does not do so between now and September, people who have lost their jobs who wish to return to education and training will be denied their place and will have to stay on the dole or the young people who are today preparing for their leaving certificate examination will be denied the place in third level or further education that they had hoped to get because the points for entry will have increased.

The good news from yesterday's CAO figures is that there are so many people who want to enter higher education. The bad news is that the places are not there for them. Will the Government make additional places available in higher and further education so that all of those people applying for places will be accommodated in September; that the points for the courses that the young people sitting the leaving certificate examination hope to enter will not increase as a result of increased demand and that they will get the places they hope for; and that there will be places for those who have lost their jobs and who want to improve their life-chances and skills to be in a better position to benefit from recovery, whenever it comes?

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