Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

We have had a good and constructive debate on this matter. I agree with Senator O'Sullivan who said this was a challenge. However, the topic of CAO applications and college places is a good news story. During this time of high unemployment we are encouraging people to consider their options with regard to increasing their skills and learning new ones. The increase of 6% in CAO applications is a good thing. As Members know, 71,867 applications have been received for 2010. In 2009 there was also a 6% increase. In my role as Minister of State with responsibility for lifelong learning, based at two Departments — the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment — my aim is to bring about co-ordination between the two Departments in the provision of education and training and to consider increased activation measures for the unemployed. The fact that more people wish to return to or commence higher education is therefore a good thing, challenging as it is, and I do not think anyone in the House would disagree.

As I said previously, there are no plans to introduce a cap on places or funding. With the continuing growth in demand for places, there are clearly resourcing issues that must be addressed. The sector's dependence on Exchequer sources of funding is high by international standards. The longer-term question of future funding arrangements for the sector is clearly relevant to the work of the higher education strategy group in preparing a vision and strategy for higher education over the next 20 years. In this context, the Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, has referred the technical report on student contributions, which was published last November, to the strategy group, and this will contribute to the broader deliberations of the group on additional resource requirements for the sector over the next 20 years. The commitment of the higher education institutions themselves to accommodating increased demand at a time of significant budgetary pressure must be put on record and is very welcome.

With regard to the importance of mathematics and science, a particularly encouraging development in 2009 was the significant increase in acceptances for technology related, engineering, science and computer courses, all of which increased by more than 20% compared with the previous year. Our development as a knowledge economy requires an emphasis on research, innovation and development and on the application of science and engineering to discovering, developing and producing new products and processes, and we need a supply of skilled technology graduates to achieve this aim. I reiterate, as mentioned by Senator Healy Eames, the importance of mathematics and science. There is no doubt Ireland needs to boost attainment in mathematics if we are to maintain competitiveness and growth in the smart economy. That is why the Project Maths initiative was started in 24 schools in September 2008 and will be introduced in all schools in September 2010, despite the difficulties and challenges in terms of resources and personnel.

A national programme of professional development for all mathematics teachers is under way, and this will continue at least until 2013. The Department of Education and Science is giving high priority to providing resources for this initiative, with €5 million being spent in 2010 on training for mathematics teachers. This initiative represents a significant change for both teachers and students in the teaching and learning of mathematics. It must work in tandem with other approaches to ensure high quality applicants are attracted into science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In this way, students with particular aptitudes are recognised early and given support and mentoring, and the initiatives that are already under way in many higher education institutions to support mathematics are continued and strengthened.

The Minister is also establishing a Project Maths implementation support group to examine and report to him on how stakeholders from business, second level and higher education can work together to achieve the objectives of Project Maths and increase the take-up of mathematics at higher level. In the Department, we are determined to ensure a co-ordinated strategy will deliver effective collaboration and achieve optimum impact in this important policy area.

Senator Quinn and others raised the issue of apprenticeship planning. Apprenticeship is a combined training programme with part of the training delivered by employers and part by FÁS and the educational institutions. The number of places provided for phase 4 and phase 6 apprentices is determined by the number of registered apprentices ready to progress to these phases, while the number of apprenticeship training places is determined by the level of demand in any given year. There is no doubt the downturn in the construction sector has resulted in a significant fall-off in the number of apprentices being recruited nationally. The number of FÁS registered apprentices requiring education and training has declined from 8,300 in 2006 to 1,535 in 2009, a reduction of more than 80%. Construction related trades have been particularly affected.

To plan for the reduced requirement for education and training provision in construction related trades, a group comprising representatives of the Department of Education and Science, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Higher Education Authority and FÁS was established to examine relevant data and forecast, as far as possible, expected construction related recruitment levels over the next few years. Based on the group's forecast, the HEA notified institutions of the reduced requirement for education provision and consulted individual institutions to assess the impact of the forecast reduction in numbers on the education sector.

Other suggestions were made about apprenticeship. The apprenticeship programme is delivered in co-operation between FÁS and the education sector and, while it has served the economy well in the past as a means of developing skilled workforce for the construction sector, it is timely to review its relevance and appropriateness to today's economy. The Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, has already spoken to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment with a view to initiating such a review this year.

Many Senators, including Senator Ormonde, spoke about matching courses to skills requirements. The expert group on future skill needs was established to advise the Government on the long-term skill needs of the economy. The group's various reports are sent to higher education institutions and used when developing new courses and changing the curricula of ongoing programmes. The Department of Education and Science worked closely with Forfás in developing the criteria to be used in respect of part-time places, which were rolled out last year. Places were offered on courses identified as being relevant to the smart economy, a matter mentioned by Senator Keaveney. There is careful monitoring by Forfás and the expert group when it publishes regular reports on various skill shortages.

I reiterate what my role is in the Departments of Education and Science and Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Many Senators referred to the need to co-ordinate activity between the two, an aim that can be challenging. A Cabinet committee on economic renewal examines issues arising from the Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal, the so-called smart economy document. The committee has been considering the need for activation measures for the unemployed as we deal with difficult circumstances. There is co-ordination via the committee, in which the Departments of Education and Science, Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Social and Family Affairs are active. The committee's work led to all of the Government's announcements on activation programmes, further education FÁS programmes, higher education programmes and so on.

There is also the upskilling co-ordination group. As one would imagine from its title, it is a co-ordination group which attempts to adopt a multi-agency approach. All of the relevant stakeholders in education and training are involved, including the Higher Education Authority, the VECs, FÁS and Departments. The group carefully monitors the situation and makes suggestions, leading to the co-ordination to which I referred. It is my intention to beef up this group and give it a key role so as to avoid duplication and iron out anomalies in the system.

A national co-operation agreement between FÁS and the Irish Vocational Education Association has just been finalised and will help to reduce duplication between FÁS and the VECs. I look forward to the agreement being rolled out and implemented, particularly at local level where local problems can be examined together in a bid to determine who does what best.

Senator Ormonde mentioned the key role to be played by the Department of Social and Family Affairs. I have been charged with responsibility for the implementation plan for the national skills strategy. The first phase of the plan will be published shortly. Overall, it will ensure co-ordination in determining who does what and what needs to be done in terms of upskilling, in particular. The Department of Social and Family Affairs is a key component in this regard.

The student service charge is levied by third level institutions to defray the cost of examinations, registration and student services. The range of student services may include on-campus medical and counselling facilities for students, access and disability services, career advice services and student facilities, clubs and societies. All of the Senators present are aware of these facts. The student service charge is not related to tuition fees and is targeted at services for students within each higher education institution. From initial examination of documentation, it appears that some universities are using part of the income from this charge to complement the core grant. However, this may be an issue of cost accounting presentation in the light of the effective cross-subsidisation of the cost of student services. The relevant question is whether the full cost of student services reflects the volume of revenues generated by the charge. The HEA has also been asked to examine this issue in all designated institutions to ensure full income from the charge is being expended on student services.