Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the details of the commitment in the programme for Government to ensure that all teacher training colleges reserve places for students from disadvantaged areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21829/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Government is committed to ensuring that young people from disadvantaged communities can access third level education. In addition to extra investment in supports aimed at improving the achievement levels of students from disadvantaged areas at school, reserving places in the third level colleges is an important component of this strategy.

The commitment in the programme for Government to which the Deputy refers is, however, designed to recognise the particular advantages of attracting bright, committed young people from disadvantaged areas into the teaching profession. Teachers are important role models both in their schools and in their communities. While teachers as a whole are compassionate and understanding and those who choose to work in disadvantaged areas would be even more so, those who grew up in areas of significant social and economic disadvantage could be expected to have an enhanced understanding of the challenges their pupils face in their everyday lives. The fact that a teacher has managed to overcome these challenges, go to college and get a good job is living proof to his or her pupils that it is possible to succeed even against considerable obstacles.

The commitment to ensure that places are reserved in the teacher training colleges for students from disadvantaged areas therefore reflects a desire both to ensure that more young people from such areas can join this important and rewarding profession and also to provide strong role models for children in their schools.

Third level colleges have been offering a direct entry route for some time, whereby students from disadvantaged areas can usually qualify for a college place with less than the standard CAO points for the relevant year.

Back in April 2003, my Department informed each of the colleges of education of its support for the inclusion of the bachelor of education degree programme within the direct application scheme for third level places in order to facilitate socio-economically disadvantaged school leavers who wished to train as primary teachers.

Colleges participating may reserve up to 5% of their annual intake figure, exclusive of mature students. Colleges operating the scheme may also provide other specific support, including financial, to assist and enable students who do not have a tradition of progression to higher education to gain entry to the college and to participate fully in the various aspects of college life.

The manner in which the scheme is operated differs from college to college, as each college must take a range of factors into consideration when administering the programme, such as links with other third level institutions, links to local schools, overall enrolment numbers, numbers of applications under direct entry schemes, other local circumstances, etc.

In line with the commitment in the programme for Government, this scheme will continue to be implemented and its effectiveness will be kept under review.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I remind Members that in respect of Other Questions they have one minute to ask a supplementary question and the Minister has one minute to reply.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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In my constituency of Dublin North-East I have been contacted by some schools that cater for students from disadvantaged areas. They welcome this announcement and fully support the policy that all teacher training colleges reserve places for students from disadvantaged areas. The message needs to be communicated by the Department to all children from disadvantaged areas that they can gain access to training colleges. I also welcome this move by the Government on the grounds of equality and fairness.

What proportions of students from disadvantaged areas have received places on teacher training courses to date, specifically in the Dublin North-East constituency? I hope that as a result of the Government's commitment to this issue the number of places for students from disadvantaged areas will greatly increase.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I wish Deputy Terence Flanagan well. Cuirim fáilte roimhe go dtí an Teach. The numbers vary within the different colleges, but it is not possible to indicate from which specific constituency people come. The Deputy will be aware of the increased participation rate in third level education from people in all constituencies, particularly his constituency, which is encouraging. The percentage intake of disadvantaged students to St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra over the past five years has grown from 0.5% to 1%. The figure for Mary Immaculate College in Limerick is more encouraging and has been at 5.12%, 5.12% and 4.7%. It is hitting its target for disadvantaged students and I know some people have been offered places through different schemes.

The figures for St. Patrick's College are curious. It is not that the college is not taking disadvantaged students, but often it does not get enough applications to fill the places available, perhaps because the college has confined the places to students from DEIS and Dublin schools. I wish to point out, to encourage students, that the college is very generous with support to students once they have been accepted. Perhaps we need to give students that message.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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That is a slight extension of the question, but is rather important.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As always, one bows not just to the Deputies, but to the Leas-Cheann Comhairle in allowing such flexibility.

We are very conscious of the needs of Gorey. Approximately half a dozen sites have been tested for technical suitability and the Deputy is aware one of those was rejected out of hand by the local community before any decision was made.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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It was also rejected by the local community because it was a Coillte site. Both local and technical considerations must be taken into account. It is a priority to make progress on that school because the Gorey community school is too large.