Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

Senator Norris and others raised the issue of the moratorium. Under the employment control framework, higher education institutions must achieve a 6% reduction in staffing levels in the next two years. Subject to achieving this reduction, institutions are free to fill key vacancies. In this regard, I noted with interest Senator O'Sullivan's comments. The position on the 6% reduction is not unreasonable, given the situation in which we find ourselves.

Senator Ormonde mentioned the Adult Educational Guidance Initiative, AEGI, a service in which I am particularly interested having regard to the considerable change in circumstances in the past two years. We went from virtually full employment to having a high level of unemployment. This service needs to be examined in view of the changed circumstances. A major assessment has been completed and later this month I will launch the findings which will form the basis of how we will gear the initiative. The service is specifically related to further education programmes. Although further education is not part of this debate, many Senators referred to the sector, one of my areas of responsibility in the Department. The AEGI will give advice to people contemplating participating in further education, VTOS, back-to-education initiatives, Youthreach and so on. However, it must be assessed to determine how it can be changed in consultation with everyone involved.

Senator Ormonde also discussed the FÁS career guidance service which is probably not as effective as it should be. It must be examined to determine how it can be improved.

Many Senators mentioned the need for more PLC places and the lifting of the cap. Despite difficult economic circumstances, we were able to provide an extra 1,500 places in the system. I acknowledge the major role played by the colleges of further education in providing PLC courses and the extra places that have not been officially sanctioned by the Department. They are doing their best to accommodate as many applications as possible. The number of applications for PLC places has increased significantly. I will be fighting on this issue within the Department and at Government level.

Senator Buttimer raised various issues. He asked specific questions about the National University of Ireland. The four constituent universities in the NUI have had independent awarding powers since 1997 and the awards they make are entitled "awards of the NUI". The awards will continue to be entitled NUI awards. The Minister has commenced discussions with constituent universities about an appropriate mechanism to ensure the protection of the national and international reputation of the NUI degree.

I thank Senators for their contributions. The role higher education plays in society has never been more important. The challenge for us now as a country, as we seek to recover from the recession, is to advance our knowledge capacity and generate opportunities for new levels of efficiency performance, innovation and growth. The higher education sector will be crucial in delivering on this challenge. It is the cornerstone of national infrastructure for generating the skills, knowledge and innovation on which Ireland's future competitive advance relies.

A particularly encouraging development in CAO acceptances for 2009-10 was the significant increase in acceptances for technology related courses. Engineering, science and computing course acceptances all increased by more than 20% over 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 discover, develop and produce new products and processes as we need a supply of skilled technology graduates to achieve this aim. I am anxious to reiterate that.

Ireland has achieved an impressive expansion of higher education places over recent decades. Targets for increased participation in higher education set by the action group on access in 2001 have been achieved by both disadvantaged and mature entrants to the sector. Evaluations of progress show that all of these measures have contributed to significantly increased participation rates in higher education. New targets have been set in the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2008-2013. In 1998 the overall participation rate in higher education was 44%. By 2004, it had risen to 55%. The Higher Education Authority estimates that participation already exceeds 65% of the relevant age cohort. A target of 65% has been set by the national access plan for 2013 and a target of 72% by 2020.

In 1998 mature students represented 5% of entrants to higher education. In 2006 this had increased to 13%. A target of 20% by 2013 has been set by the national access plan 2008-13. In 1998 just 23% of young people aged 17 to 19 from a socio-economic disadvantaged background entered higher education. By 2004 this had increased to 33%. A new target of 45% participation by 2020 has been set by the national access plan 2008-13. While the significant rate of expansion that has already occurred has been primarily accounted for by full-time students, in particular school leavers, the higher education sector is also responding to the needs of adult learners by providing increased opportunities for flexible learning. More than 30,000 part-time students are currently being catered for within the system and the number of such learners is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.

The strategic innovation fund for higher education, which was introduced in 2006, had an overarching objective of stimulating innovation and creativity in addressing a number of identified challenges within the higher education system. With the support of the strategic innovation fund, higher education institutions across the country are developing a number of programmes to enhance flexible and lifelong learning. The increased flexibility being shown and developed by Irish higher education institutions, through initiatives such as BlueBrick and increased opportunities for work-based learning are evidence of the commitment of the sector to be responsive and adaptable to the needs of all learners in society.

The latest CAO application figures are a clear signal of the strong demand for higher education in Ireland. This demand is very welcome in the context of Ireland's objectives for developing the smart economy which will rely heavily on a well educated, skilled labour force. Students and their families have no reason to be concerned that they will not be accommodated in the system. The Government is committed to ensuring the sector can continue to accommodate growing demand for participation into the future.

The Minister for Education and Science, through the Higher Education Authority, will continue to work with the sector in monitoring demand and in identifying opportunities to maximise the use of available resources to growing demand. Collectively, our higher education institutions represent a very valuable national resource and it is imperative for Ireland's economic and social development that their full potential is realised.

The strategy group, which was established by the Minister for Education and Science last February, is addressing all the issues and challenges facing the sector and will report to the Minister within the next few months. Its report when published will be important. We have come through massive changes in the past two years and it was a very timely initiative on the Minister's part to establish the higher education review group. I, like all Members present, look forward to its deliberations in due course.

We have had a good debate on this in the Seanad. As I said to my officials prior to coming into the Chamber, one can always expect a very high standard of debate in the Seanad. This is because many Members are involved or were previously involved in education at all levels, primary, post-primary, further education and higher education and, furthermore, the university Senators have brought a particular input to today's debate.

We live in challenging times but I assure those who will sit their leaving certificate later this year and those who have just filled out their CAO application forms that the Government, the Higher Education Authority and the third level sector are responding to the changed demands. They should proceed with their studies and I wish them well in their examinations. Some of the media reports last week were a little alarmist. What was published last week in the press were the number of applications but many of those who have applied for courses will not take up the course places they are offered for various reasons. As Senator Keaveney mentioned, she did not take up her place. Did the Senator get an offer of a course place?