Mary Henry (Independent)

I thank Senator Hayes for sharing his time with me. I support everything Senator Minihan said earlier about the need for us to put effort into scientific education. Perhaps we are being a little complacent about scientific and mathematical literacy levels in Ireland and I would like them to increase.

A very good feature of the education system is the very low drop-out rate at degree level. There is frequently much criticism about the high standards that have to be attained to enter universities, but it means that, in general, those who get in stay the course. The French found there was no point allowing everyone who gets the baccalaureate to enter university and have an appalling drop-out rate. I am not talking about the Grandes Ecoles but in general this has become a terrible problem with dispirited staff and students because there are too many people in courses of which they are unable to make use.

I ask the Minister for Education and Science to re-examine his ideas on having a common science course for many of the professional courses such as medicine, dentistry, radiography, pharmacology and physiology because this may mean that those from disadvantaged backgrounds will get no chance to enter these professions. They will be postgraduate degree courses which will not be paid for by the State and, as the Minister will be aware, the families of students from poorer backgrounds are anxious for them to get a job and earn money as rapidly as possible. We may find that in terms of those who do physiotherapy, instead of pursuing a four year degree course, they may be facing a six year course or that those doing a six year medicine course – we must remember that Great Britain is now coming back to five years – will be facing a seven or eight year course. These aspects may militate against those the Minister for Education and Science said he wants to help.

There has not been enough debate on this issue or on what it will cost the parents, the students, if they have to take our large loans, and the State. Has it been discussed with the Department of Health and Children from a manpower point of view? The Hanly report recommends huge changes in manpower which I do not believe have been married with the proposals from the Minister for Education and Science in terms of what he wants to do. I hope we will have another debate on that aspect.