Seanad debates
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
CAO Applications and College Places: Statements
1:00 pm
Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State. We will now hear statements on the matter of CAO applications and college places. Spokespersons have ten minutes, while all other Senators have seven minutes.
Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the opportunity to make a statement in the Seanad on the recent publication of details of applications through the CAO for third level places on courses commencing next September.
Our third level education system is critical in enabling people to reach their full potential as individuals and active citizens and in creating the skilled workforce that Ireland needs in order to develop an internationally competitive knowledge based economy. That over 70,000 people are considering embarking on a third level education programme is an extremely positive development for our ambitions to create a smart economy in which the vision, originality, creativity and invention of our people will support the creation of sustainable employment opportunities and high standards of living for everyone.
We have achieved an unprecedented expansion of educational opportunities in the last four decades. Ireland's higher education participation rate grew from 20% in 1980 to 55% in 2004 and is now estimated to be over 65%. There were 40,000 students in the higher education system in the 1980s, compared to more than 145,000 full-time students now, representing growth of almost 400%.
The number of applications received by 1 February for places in the 2010-11 academic year is up approximately 6% on the number for 2009. This increase is broadly in line with expectations and in line with the increase seen the previous year. The number of CAO acceptances in 2009-10 was 45,582, up 8.3% on the figure for the previous year which, in turn, had seen an increase of 5.4% on the figure for 2007-08. The trend of increasing applications for entry to higher education is to be expected at a time of reduced opportunities for direct school leaver entry to the labour market, reducing apprenticeship numbers and increasing demand for re-skilling and up-skilling among the broader adult population.
While demand from school leavers for third level places continues to grow, in recent years we have also seen an increase in the number of mature students in higher education. This trend is extremely welcome, given the up-skilling and re-skilling needs of the labour market. We are seeing evidence that people who have lost their jobs have taken the decision to return to education to improve their skill levels. This is an extremely positive development. While people at all skill levels are experiencing unemployment and new young graduates, in particular, are facing a very difficult labour market, a review of unemployment rates by age and educational attainment clearly shows that those with higher levels of qualifications are more likely to be in employment and less likely to be unemployed than those qualified at lower levels. People with higher levels of educational attainment will also be better placed to return to employment as the economy recovers.
Applications from mature students accounted for 14% of all applications in 2009, up from almost 12% in 2008. Last year more than 6,200 mature students accepted an offer of a higher education place through the CAO, an increase of 26% on the figure for 2008. Traditionally, higher education institutions have focused on the needs of the school leaver. The broader challenge now is to widen learning opportunities for all learners in higher education through more flexible modes of provision and more flexible entry mechanisms.
Research has shown that up-skilling adults requires flexible provision. The Department of Education and Science is working with the Higher Education Authority to support the expansion of opportunities for flexible learning in higher education institutions. An example is the recent development of www.bluebrick.ie, a website launched by the Minister for Education and Science last September. It is a flexible learning portal that lets a prospective learner search for and compare flexible learning courses in all the institutes of technology and also allows them to apply for courses on-line.
A number of new initiatives were developed in the higher education sector last year that specifically supported unemployed people to return to education and engage in up-skilling. These included the provision of almost 1,800 places for unemployed people on part-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses in areas that supported the goals of the smart economy, 900 places on short preparatory courses, 160 places on accelerated level 6 programmes and a special education programme for redundant apprentices. Higher education institutions demonstrated considerable flexibility and innovation in using the capacity within the system to deliver these responses by commencing programmes mid-way through the traditional academic year, providing shorter duration programmes and significantly increasing the opportunities for part-time study which enabled unemployed people to up-skill while continuing to seek employment. The higher education sector is committed to developing further up-skilling responses for unemployed people. Officials from the Department of Education and Science are working closely with other Departments, including the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Social and Family Affairs, to support the development of such responses.
Despite the increase in student numbers, there are no plans for the introduction of a cap on the number of places in higher education. Our higher education institutions have been responding to the increasing demand by increasing the number of places they offer.
The Government is investing unprecedented levels of public funding in higher education, with funding provision for the third level sector — capital funding, recurrent funding, student grants, etc. — having increased by 33% from €1.5 billion in 2004 to around €2 billion in 2009. In the current budgetary climate higher education institutions are being required to achieve significant payroll and non-pay efficiencies. This is in common with all areas of public expenditure. A minimum 3% payroll cost reduction is being sought from the sector this year owing to the operation of an employment control framework to give effect to the Government's moratorium on recruitment. At a time of considerable pressure on budgets and staffing resources, this demonstrates a significant willingness on the part of higher education providers to respond to increasing demand. The Higher Education Authority is working closely with the institutions to effect economies across all levels of activity. The commitment of the institutions to accommodating current increased demand at a time of significant budgetary pressures is welcome. I note recent press reports that half of CAO applicants will not receive an offer of a place in higher education for the next academic year. I am concerned that such reports are creating unnecessary anxiety for school leavers, their parents and other potential students. Based on CAO acceptances of some 45,000 in 2009 and the current number of 2010 applications at some 71,000, the current ratio of applicants to places is of the order of 1.6:1. While this ratio may appear to be high, it must be borne in mind that in any given year the eventual number of entrants to higher education will be considerably less than the number of applications received. This is owing to a wide range of factors, including the fact that some applicants will not meet the academic entry requirements for their courses of choice, some applicants may decide to repeat the leaving certificate exam, while other applicants will decide to defer a place when it is offered. Some applicants who apply through the CAO also apply for courses elsewhere, for example, in Northern Ireland or the UK, and may decide to take a place on such a course in preference to a course offered through the CAO. Other applicants might decide to embark on a post-leaving certificate course or another education or training programme or simply change their mind about the decision to go to college.
While the increasing demand for higher education is an extremely positive development, responding to the needs of a growing and diverse student population while ensuring the system can deliver a high quality learning experience poses a number of challenges for the sector. These challenges are being examined by the high level group the Minister for Education and Science established to develop a new higher education strategy. The strategy process will examine how well Ireland's higher education system is performing, how it ranks internationally, how well existing resources are being used and how the system can be reconfigured to best meet the many challenges it faces over the next decade having regard to the key role it has to play in contributing to Ireland's economic recovery. The objective of this strategy process is to develop a vision and related set of national policy objectives for Irish higher education for the next 20 years with more focused targets for the sector for the next five years. The strategy affords a timely opportunity to review the environment for higher education and the challenges and changes that are having an impact on the sector. An examination of the overall operation, governance and resourcing framework are important elements of the strategy review. It is expected the new strategy will be completed before the summer.
I look forward to the debate in the Seanad and responding to comments made. As always, the quality of debate in the Seanad will be first class.
Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State. As we said last night, we meet a lot on these occasions when it comes to education issues. I thank the Leader for arranging this debate in such a timely way because it is only ten days since I said it was needed. It is particularly appropriate in view of reports on increased applications to get into and pressure on places in college. I welcome much of what the Minister of State said, especially on flexible provision and delivery. He pointed out there are no plans for the introduction of a cap on the number of places in higher education. That is brilliant but I question how universities and institutes of technology will be funded. The seven heads of universities appeared before an Oireachtas joint committee two weeks ago saying they were terribly strapped for cash. The Union of Students in Ireland cogently put its case to us, proving that universities were putting their hands in the pie of the student service charge to fund core tuition. I am fascinated by how they will survive.
Some 71,000 applicants are seeking 45,000 places, an increase of 6.25%. I would like the Minister of State to answer the question of how funding will match up if there is no cap on places, which I welcome. The Minister of State also mentioned the issue of cutting back. The Government's moratorium on recruitment is putting pressure on teaching. As the number of students increases, there are more students per lecturer and there are no replacements when people retire. The quality of education suffers. Owing to the new employment framework, student service counsellors must also apply to get a post. They should surely be funded from the student service charge of €1,500 per year. The student service end is being hit. The Minister of State referred to 71,000 applicants and the 45,000 CAO acceptances in 2009, giving a current ratio of 1.6:1. It is not just about any place but about the place a student wants. A student lists ten preferences on the CAO form. Some courses are available with 130 points, which is fine for those who want it and if the course matches their ability and competence, but the place is no good to a student who wants a place in dentistry, science or mathematics.
I look forward to the report of the higher group but it was a bit much for the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, to deliberate on the closure of the NUI office in advance of the higher level group presenting its report. The key to economic growth, in this country or any other, is investment in human capital. When the IDA sells Ireland, Galway or any other place, it does so based on the expertise available and the quality of graduates as well as our corporation tax rate. In a downturn it is ideal that a nation invests in these people and mature students. This latter category has grown by 14%, a major growth, and it must be met by the courses needed. Mr. Michael Gleeson of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors said last week he is concerned a 1980s style points race will return. A spokesman for the Minister said that supply and demand would narrow in the months ahead. I understand that but these trends come at a time when workplace opportunities and apprenticeships were never lower. The number of students applying to Britain and Northern Ireland for university places has increased by 50% this year according to Mr. John Walshe in the Irish Independent. Students are nervous they will not get the place they need in this country. Last year almost 13,000 mature students applied for places by August. This year that figure has already been reached. Late applications increased by 7,000 last year and I expect them to be higher this year. Ms Bernie Brady of AONTAS has called on the Minister of State to provide more training and education initiatives for the unemployed. We can assume that many of those applying for mature student places are likely to have lost their jobs.
The career expert writing for the Irish Independent refers to the sense of anxiousness among leaving certificate students about the scarcity of college places. It places students under extra pressure at a time when they should be focusing on study for their exams. Will the Minister of State provide a commitment to increase the places in areas where students are looking for study opportunities? For example, University College Galway always sees a significant increase in the numbers taking arts courses and the college is at its limit in the provision of arts places unless more Government funding is provided. However, this difficulty is not experienced in science and engineering courses. The registrar at GMIT, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, has told me that work experience as part of the training course for apprentices is badly needed. A forecast of what the demand in trades will be in three to four years is needed in order to develop apprenticeship courses. Is the Department undertaking this planning and why is the number of apprenticeships not being increased? The big problem is that employers are not employing so people are going back to education.
I note the very worrying trend of the numbers unemployed in the construction sector. Those people left school early, many with quite poor literacy skills and they also need opportunities. Before the economic downturn, the number of leaving certificate students going directly into apprenticeships was 18,000 to 20,000 and now the number is 2,000, a direct result of the downturn in the construction industry.
I wish to devote the remainder of my time to the crisis in the area of maths and sciences. A key adviser to Barack Obama, Dr. Craig Barrett, the former chief executive officer of Intel said that Ireland's education system needs to do better if the economy is to compete on a world stage. Along with Engineers Ireland, the area of learning he has flagged is that of maths and science. He spoke about setting our educational sights high and that we should aim to be the first in maths and science rather than just average. The Minister of State will be aware that PISA, the programme for international student achievement, shows that Ireland is just average. We are faring very badly when it comes to honours level maths at leaving certificate. The Government and the nation should be looking to the needs of the knowledge and innovation economy and deciding how to serve those needs.
We need to look at the early learning of maths and sciences. Our problem is that when a young teacher begins teaching at 21 or 22 years of age, they do not have the opportunity to observe science in action in the workplace at any stage. This is not satisfactory as they will not have the motivation and excitement to teach science as a subject that is alive. I propose to the Minister of State that there should be a new type of in-service training for teachers of maths and science which would provide a link between classroom practice and industry practice. For example, there are wonderful medical devices manufacturing companies in Galway and Mayo. I suggest that teachers should be released for one day or a few hours every month so they can observe industry practice. For example, Intel has been enthusiastic in its support, along with the Government, for the IT revolution.
The solution to the problem with maths and sciences is to do with the teaching of maths and sciences rather than the doubling of points at leaving certificate. I have been informed by University College Galway that we are starting from too low a base. Only 30% of junior certificate students gain an A or B in honours maths and this is where the problem lies and not at leaving certificate level. The in-service training needs to be aimed at those teaching children who are leaving sixth class and entering second level. I ask the Minister of State to examine the link between town and gown, between teaching and industry.
I summarise by asking the Minister of State whether he will provide extra college places in the key areas of maths, science and engineering and arts in Galway. We must consider what the student wants and also what the nation needs so we can respond when the downturn is followed by an upturn. I ask the Minister of State if he will provide more apprenticeship places because not everybody is suited for a university place. I have heard Senator Ormonde voice the same opinion. I ask the Minister of State to commit to a new model of teacher in-service education in the area of maths and sciences. I do not agree with the former Intel chairman when he spoke about increasing the points for maths and science at leaving certificate level. In my view, those who study these subjects have chosen them out of interest. We need to focus on students who do not achieve sufficiently high grades in the early years, at pre-junior certificate level so they will choose to study those subjects at honours level at leaving certificate.
Education is the key to our future growth and the key to personal development.
Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)
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As Seanad Fianna Fáil spokesperson on education I am very glad to speak on this most important issue about college places and CAO applications. This is a very difficult time every year for students who are facing the leaving certificate and must decide on a choice of course and college. I am anxious that the process of decision-making is made as easy as possible. To that end, I have been continually asking that the grant application process be brought back to the date of the CAO application so that students can complete all the paperwork at this point in the year or preferably in January, to allow them apply for their preferred course and college as well as their grant aid. The Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, has indicated that he is in favour of pulling back the CAO application dates to assist in the processing of applications. It is vital that the smooth running of the process can only be achieved when the grant applications have also been included at the start of the year, thereby allowing students to concentrate fully on exclusively academic issues. I would like to see the student support scheme being fully operational as soon as possible so all the dates would coincide, with paperwork kept separate from the academic work. This would allow for a more efficient system which would be in everyone's interest, the people processing the applications and working in college administration as well as the students and their families who endure the trauma with them.
Many students who sat examinations last year may be repeating examinations this year in an attempt to achieve the few extra points for their chosen course and many other students will be attempting the leaving certificate for the first time. Newspaper headlines in recent weeks have highlighted there will be two students for every college place and more points needed for courses as a result. This news may have frightened many students. It is fair for journalists to report an increase in pressure but the way the information is being presented in the media will scare the life out of every student. We need to reassure those students and work to maximise their opportunities. The Minister of State in his contribution stated there will not be capping and that every effort will be made to expand the flexibility of the courses on offer. The Government has been proactive in delivering what students need.
The number of people applying for courses has increased over recent years and this is not a phenomenon of this year in particular. In 2007, a total of 61,961 people applied to the CAO process and in 2008 that number was 63,868; by 2009, the number was 67,634 and in 2010 it looks as if it will be 71,867. This is an increase of 4%, 3%, 6% and 6%, respectively in each year. These statistics are important in the context of this debate. When I filled out my CAO form, I had virtually no intention of taking up any of the places for which I applied. I applied to UCCA to get into a number of colleges in the North because I wanted to study music and the Northern Ireland system provided free tuition in a number of instruments. After I had gone through the hoops and hurdles of various interview processes, etc., I knew I would be going to college in the North if I did well in my leaving certificate. I was able to use the CAO system as a back-up. I also deferred a PGCE year at one stage. I remind those who think they will not be included because of the 1.6:1 ratio that I never thought I would be wasting the time of the CAO or deferring courses. That is the reality of what happens. In that context, it is worth asking why instrumental tuition in music is not a fundamental part of music degrees in this jurisdiction. Perhaps the House can debate that matter on another occasion. Why should one have to pay for such tuition separately?
I remind the Senator who made an off-the-cuff comment about those who have to go to another jurisdiction that many students do not mind having to do so. We are working in co-operation with the University of Ulster in Jordanstown, Coleraine and Magee College as well as with Queen's University and the other third level institutions in the North. The Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, and the Northern Ireland Minister, Caitríona Ruane, MLA, spoke at last Thursday's meeting of the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. The authorities on this small island need to co-operate to maximise the opportunities associated with the courses that are presented in third level institutions and to minimise the obstacles to student mobility. Ultimately, we should seek to establish a university of the north west that would straddle the Border so that we do not have to talk about different jurisdictions. We would not be talking about the north, the south, the east or the west; we would be talking about the best way of meeting the needs of students.
The Department of Education and Science must take seriously the research being undertaken by Forfás and the implementation body on future national skills needs because it comprises a vital piece of basic infrastructure. At times, governance in this country is too departmentalised. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment can give one all the statistics one might want about the needs of those who are or are not employed. We need to ensure such statistics are taken into account when the Department of Education and Science makes decisions on what is taught, how it is taught and the manner in which young people are driven. I am not talking specifically about this topic when I say we sometimes wear hats. If it is the hat of the Department of Social and Family Affairs, it cannot be the hat of the Department of Health and Children. If it is the hat of the Department of Health and Children, it cannot be the hat of the Department of Education and Science. It is often the case that hats should be shared by the various Departments.
Many students know exactly what they want to do. They are clear in their goals and in how to get there. I refer to the colleges they choose, the CAO and the points they are striving for. Other people may not have decided what they want to do, even at this stage. We should give such students directions on the basis of our skill needs. We should ensure they are guided into courses that will yield jobs and careers for them in the short and longer terms. Social engineering is often referred to but the reality is that jobs are scarce and opportunities limited. By the time the current cohort of students comes out of college, traditionally strong sectors such as architecture, planning and construction may have recovered. While I agree that young people should follow their dreams, there are opportunities to widen the scope of what they tend to aim for.
Ireland has not maximised the strengths associated with being an island nation. Jobs on the water, for example, are available throughout the world. I refer not only to fishing, but also to merchant shipping, etc. Many fishermen are in limbo at present as a consequence of the lack of fishing rights. If their expertise is drawn on and deployed in our fisheries colleges in Cork and Greencastle, we will produce qualified mariners for Ireland and the rest of the world. We need to ensure we are sufficiently innovative. I understand that 500 qualified people are needed to man ships in high-ranking positions in the merchant navy and elsewhere in the marine sector. No country is producing such workers with the necessary speed. As an island nation, we need to ensure we offer such opportunities and drive new ideas. Given that boats have to be laid up for short or long periods of time, it is obvious we should develop a marine car park. There are opportunities to provide berthage or boat parking along our coastline. While such examples might seem odd, surely it is by looking to our actual strengths as an island nation that we can become productive in a new way.
Entrepreneurship is a vital cog in our economic regeneration. I recently compiled a report for the Council of Europe on the issue of getting college places to match the numbers and needs of students. I examined how history is taught in areas of recent conflict. I suggested we need to teach certain subjects, specifically history, in a multi-perspective manner that develops the critical and creative thinking of students. If young people become more rounded adults, they will be able to push boundaries in college or in life as employers or employees. To that end, we need to strengthen the links between preschool, primary, secondary and tertiary levels. I have said that links between Departments can sometimes be bad, but the links between the pre-primary, primary, post-primary and tertiary sectors can be just as problematic. I appreciate what Senator Healy Eames has said about mathematics and science, but I remind her that we cannot have mathematicians or scientists if we do not have people with creative thinking. We are getting rid of the arts as quickly as we can. We are not placing the necessary emphasis on them. The Minister of State, Deputy Haughey, is probably fed up listening to me talking about the arts. I reiterate that if we invest in the arts at preschool and early primary school levels, we will achieve much better results in mathematics. That is not just my opinion; it is what international best practice suggests.
Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)
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Perhaps that is a subject for another day. We need to adapt the secondary education system. We need to improve the links between the pre-primary, primary and post-primary sectors. That might make the education system sound like a factory farm but being aware of the bigger picture should not be a restraint or constraint. We need to acknowledge that our economy needs employers and employees.
I recognise the plight of prospective college students. I accept that we may have many mature students, some of whom are people who have lost their employment. I commend the Government on programmes such as the initiative for unemployed people in the higher education system, the strategic innovation fund and lifelong learning and upskilling. I am aware of the role of the website, www.bluebrick.ie, and encourage those who have not investigated it to do so. In my local area, Letterkenny Institute of Technology has been flexible in adapting to the needs of its students and the unemployed. As I said at the outset, we have to consider our strengths as an island. We need to think beyond our boundaries. We should work with Northern Ireland Ministers like Reg Empey, MLA and Caitríona Ruane, MLA. As Minister for Employment and Learning in the North, Mr. Empey is responsible for lifelong learning which is treated separately from primary and secondary education. I am not sure that is the most constructive way of going about things although I do not want to tell the authorities on the other side of the Border what they should do.
I have been approached by a mature student who is attending an access course at NUI, Galway. When the person in question started the course, they thought they would be allowed to retain their back to education allowance, but that seems to be changing. People who were given the back to education allowance after they decided to take a course when they were in a position of disadvantage should not have that allowance taken from them. If one is already in the system, one might have a reasonable expectation of being able to continue one's course specifically because one is supported by the back to education allowance. I would like to think that the current approach to this matter can be reviewed and the small cohort of people who are in this position can be accommodated.
David Norris (Independent)
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I would like to share time with Senator Quinn.
David Norris (Independent)
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I welcome the Minister of State with responsibility for lifelong education. Many mature people are going back to college. I would like to raise two specific cases, the first of which relates to a woman who was born and educated in Ireland and lived here for some years. She has recently returned to Ireland after spending four years abroad working with a voluntary organisation. When she applied for a place in one of our universities, she was told she was being assessed as a non-EU student because she had spent four years doing good work outside this country. That seems to me to be thoroughly insane. This is the kind of person who should be encouraged. I suggest she has been deemed to be a non-EU student so that the fees being extracted from her could be tripled. I ask the Minister of State to investigate this anomaly.
The second case I would like to raise relates to a woman who has been offered a place in my university, Trinity College. The difficulty is that she does not receive financial assistance of any kind to return to university to get another degree, as we are urging people to do. As a result of paying to do her first degree on her own initiative, she cannot get the back to education grant and does not qualify for what are known as free fees. She is working part-time to make money to return to college and, as a result, does not even receive social welfare assistance. While I welcome whatever the Government can do to support third level education, anomalies raised by public representatives, whether they are in the Central Applications Office, grants system or social welfare system, must be examined and ironed out.
David Norris (Independent)
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It is important we get this right and encourage people because the economy is in difficulty and skills deficits have arisen in certain economic sectors. For example, the medical technology, chemicals and pharmaceutical industries have increased their share of Irish exports from 32% in 2000 to 51% in 2008. As a result, the number of applications for science degrees has surged, which I welcome. This surge has been met by an inevitable decline in the number of people applying for apprenticeships and so forth, especially in the building and allied trades.
I raise again the extraordinary proposal from the Higher Education Authority to phase out plastering courses in the Dublin Institute of Technology and to transfer them to Athlone Institute of Technology which has only provided such courses for the past four years in response to the building boom. The Dublin Institute of Technology, on the other hand, has won gold medals in this area and its wonderful lecturers include a person who is doing a PhD in Trinity College Dublin and a member of staff seconded from the Office of Public Works which did the wonderful ceiling restoration in this Chamber.
In response to the economic situation, the number of applications to the Central Applications Office increased from 66,500 last year to 72,500 this year. The Minister of State listed the numbers of applications and indicated there was pressure on the system but did not indicate how the system would respond to this pressure. The nub of the problem is that core funding to the universities was cut by 5% in 2009, a significant amount. As a result of the moratorium on the recruitment of staff, the number of staff will decline by 6% this year. While the number of CAO applications has increased substantially, the system which is supposed to absorb this increase cannot function efficiently without proper assistance. During the great days of the Celtic tiger we constantly heard that one of the reasons for the phenomenon of the Celtic tiger was the wonderful education provided in Ireland. We will support the Minister in making whatever provision is necessary to ensure we continue to have a good input in this area.
I thank God I am not involved in education any longer, either as a student or teacher. While students face a number of problems, I am pleased to note that the university authorities have some sympathy. For example, Trinity College Dublin, my own place, gives good advice to students to select two subjects in their TR001 option to ensure they have a fallback position if places are oversubscribed or there is competition for places. UCD had a similar idea and is introducing a new subject preference grid this year. The problem, however, is that the record number of applications will leave many students out on a limb. The Government must take a new initiative to respond to the surge in applications. I hope this debate will help spark such an initiative.
I note the chief executive of the Higher Education Authority, Mr. Tom Boland, has hinted that a new cap on the number of students could be necessary as underfunded universities struggle to cope with rising numbers. I wonder if this is the correct approach. On the one hand, we encourage people to study——
Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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The Senator is almost halfway through the time available to him.
David Norris (Independent)
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I have made most of the points I intended to make. I am sure Senator Quinn concurs with my final point given that he pioneered the advocacy of electronic communications in the House. It seems daft that we still send out 80,000 CAO application forms and handbooks to students when almost everybody applies on-line. Why are we wasting so much paper? The handbook is sent out in hard copy which means it is out of date almost immediately because new courses are constantly being added. I suggest the Minister save paper. He would do a good job if he succeeded in looking after the students who manage to get through the system despite the enormous increase in applications. If he does so, the House will support him.
Feargal Quinn (Independent)
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I thank Senator Norris for sharing time and welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Haughey, to the House. I am pleased the points Senators raise will receive a hearing and look forward to raising several further points.
In December I raised the decision by Fáilte Ireland, based on a change in administration, to arrange for subsequent courses in hospitality training to be handled by institutes of technology which do not recognise the leaving certificate applied. The Minister of State will have heard me speak previously on the leaving certificate applied examination. Some years ago, I had the honour of chairing the committee which established this highly successful system. The proposed change means hundreds of students who will sit leaving certificate applied examinations in June this year will not be eligible for entry to Fáilte Ireland catering and tourism courses. The awards given for the leaving certificate applied examinations — distinction, merit and pass — are not recognised for CAO points but admission to most of the agency's courses will move to the CAO this year. Guidance councillors throughout the country argue that this change could discourage students who are not suited to the traditional leaving certificate from staying in school and taking the leaving certificate applied option.
In 2009, approximately 3,200 school leavers pursued the leaving certificate applied examination. In my experience, this examination is highly suited to students who wish to take courses in subjects such as retail and hospitality. The examination does not measure their ability to write down in three hours what they have learned in two years of study but uses different means, including continuous assessment, to measure their abilities, talents, skills and intelligence. One example of the benefits of the examination is its focus on oral as opposed to written communication skills. It would be a shame if talented, intelligent students were unable to pursue the courses provided by Fáilte Ireland as a result of the decision to transfer them to the institutes of technology which only recognise CAO points. I urge the Minister to address this issue as soon as possible.
Ireland is not the only country to experience a massive increase in demand for university places. In the United Kingdom a boom in demand has meant the British Government can no longer afford to fund university places with the result that approximately 160,000 people were recently denied places in universities.
A reappraisal of the higher education system in 21st century Ireland is required. When universities were established, information could only be distributed in books and lectures. Senator Norris touched on this issue in another context. Given that lecture notes and tutorials can now be delivered electronically, is it still necessary for large numbers of students to go to a physical place for lectures? Surely it is possible to make massive savings and eliminate inefficiencies. It is argued that in this respect the private sector is more innovative in designing higher education courses and more flexible in providing them than the public sector. There is little doubt that the private sector can provide high quality qualifications. The University of Phoenix, North America's largest private education provider, has increased enrolments from 384,000 to 455,000 in the past year. I gather this has been done without an increase in physical buildings. They are able to use electronic means of communicating and lecturing. Perhaps we are not doing enough to promote education by the private sector in this country. I urge the Minister of State to give some thought to this. It could be started by having stronger regulations in the area. Perhaps employers should also get more of a say on what they might consider as desirable attributes instead of completely relying on the academic scene. This is not to say there should not be education for education's sake. If higher education were driven by businesses, they would fail to understand how philosophy graduates such as Barack Obama and George Soros could earn a living.
I believe we must consider education in a different way. Let us not assume the only way is through the traditional books and lectures in physical buildings. We can learn in other ways. However, we must try to have a debate on how the private sector can make a very worthwhile contribution to education in this country. Let us avail of the opportunity for private education, which we do not do sufficiently. We also need to take action on the leaving certificate applied programme so those students who study for tourism and the hospitality sector are not debarred because of the new system.
Niall Ó Brolcháin (Green Party)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Haughey. This is a good and timely debate. I see Senator Mullen is leaving the Chamber. I was going to say the Galway——
Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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We do not comment on people who are not in the Chamber.
Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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I have to come back now. Senator Ó Brolcháin has shamed me.
Rónán Mullen (Independent)
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That is all right. I know it will be worth hearing.
Niall Ó Brolcháin (Green Party)
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I had noticed the Galway contingent of Senators Healy Eames and Mullen and myself. The CAO is based in Galway and every time I walk down Eglinton Street and see the CAO offices at the top level, it strikes terror into my heart because I remember the days when I was in the position myself. The letters CAO struck terror into many hearts. I grew up during the last recession at a time when the race for college places was extremely competitive. The Minister of State said that the likely number of applicants for university places this year is 70,000. This is a huge increase on previous years and includes many mature students. This puts a huge strain on the education system and it makes the CAO more important.
The CAO is a very good and fair system and perhaps a very brutal one. A difficulty I remember from my school days is that it needs to be properly explained. What tends to happen in schools is that the CAO system is explained to students during the leaving certificate year. The CAO should develop a far more friendly face than that which it has at present. I do not say this to denigrate it; I have worked with a number of people who now work for the CAO. It has a relatively small and mostly technical staff. As far as I am aware it does not have a public relations section. We now have great transition year programmes, a new innovation in education that has emerged since the 1980s. A transition year course to show students how the system works would be a very good idea. It would allow people to make decisions and choices before embarking on the leaving certificate programme.
We are left with a difficulty because 70,000 into 45,500 will not go. This is a recessionary time, and traditionally education has been the way out of difficulties faced in the employment market. People need higher qualifications to help them survive. It is a way of getting the country better qualified to be able to drag itself out of recession. It worked in the 1980s and can work now. I commend the Government on prioritising education in the recent renewed programme for Government. It is not the right time to introduce college fees and I am pleased they were not introduced at this stage in the history of the State.
Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)
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That is not what the university heads said. They said student service charges are——
Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)
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Senator Ó Brolcháin without interruption.
Niall Ó Brolcháin (Green Party)
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I am more interested in the students——
Niall Ó Brolcháin (Green Party)
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——and their parents. Education is about students.
There is a noticeable decrease in other areas such as apprenticeships and other methods of entering employment after leaving school. Senator Quinn alluded to this. Going straight into college is not the best route for all trades. Unfortunately, apprenticeships are dwindling and we need to examine this. An arts degree is not necessarily the best qualification for somebody plumbing or in any of the building trades. We need to bring forward measures to encourage apprenticeship.
A total of 14,000 second level students are taking part in the Government-backed schools' business partnership project, with the Business in the Community organisation, to twin students with a local business and mentor for work experience and help with CV preparation and interviews. Various major companies, including IBM, Deloitte, Diageo and Eircom, take part in the project. It is important to examine as many different ways as possible to help school leavers compete with the huge number of mature students who will take up a number of university places. We need to get the balance right on this and ensure educational possibilities exist for all our people in so far as it is possible to do so. I hope we do the best we can in these difficult circumstances.
4:00 pm
Brendan Ryan (Labour)
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I welcome the Minister of State back to the House; he is spending quite some time with us in his roles at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Education and Science.
In the past year 110,664 people have joined the live register. Direct entry to the labour market for school leavers is much reduced and, where it still exists, it is a highly competitive environment. Part of the Labour Party's response to people losing their jobs in such massive numbers and to the lack of employment opportunities in the economic crisis is to provide higher and further education places. It is strategically more sensible to provide educational opportunities rather than the dole for people with the capability to avail of that opportunity.
The recent CAO application figures reveal that there will be in the region of a 10% increase in demand for college places for next September. As a result of these record application numbers, if college places remain as they are, there will be approximately two applicants for every place available. In his contribution, the Minister of State expressed concern that such reports create unnecessary anxiety for school leavers, their parents and other potential students. Senator Keaveney attempted to provide some comfort when she stated the increase in the number of applications is fairly routine and part of a trend and that everything appears to be fine. My understanding of the figures is that the ratio of 1.6:1 is based on the number of initial on-line applications. A number of applications were made other than on-line and late applications will also be made. Parents, school leavers and prospective students have legitimate concerns. There is little comfort in knowing whether the figure will be 1.6:1 or 2:1 and I ask the Minister of State to take that message back to the Department.
It is great news that so many people are turning to education as a means to prepare for the economic upturn, whenever it may come. Unfortunately, there will be bad news for the many who fail to get into college or start the course of their choice because the points have increased beyond their reach. Points for courses in the arts, business and science are set to rise with an ensuing increase in competition for places. We must not return to the points race of the past which was fuelled by demand or lack of capacity. Leaving certificate students who are almost three quarters of the way through their studies should still have a chance of getting the courses they have chosen and for which they have been working so hard. It will be devastating for many if points increase at such a late stage and many qualified prospective students will miss out.
Those who have lost their jobs must not be prevented from getting the chance to improve their skills and, therefore, employability. Despite some changes in the past year, the Government has not provided sufficient places and more must be done in response to increased demand. Unfortunately, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, has stated that there will no more money for places. It is disingenuous to say there is no cap if colleges are not given the resources they need to deliver additional places.
I disagree with Senator Ó Brolcháin's contention that fees are not being charged. The Joint Committee on Education and Science recently heard from representatives of the Higher Education Authority who take the view that are fees are charged at third level. Students recognise they are paying fees. One can call them registration charges if one likes but they have nevertheless increased from €900 to €1,500. The Government's response has been to hold back the increased amount in fees from colleges' budgets. Let us not be fooled, therefore.
In response to Deputy Gilmore's comments in the other House, the Taoiseach stated the HEA will monitor demand, identify opportunities to maximise places and respond to growing demand within existing and available resources. This approach is not good enough if it is the intention to stick rigidly to existing resources. We should by all means maximise the number of places for the existing budget first but additional resources must be made available as required. Growing demand at least calls for a preparedness to make additional resources available. Post-leaving certificate course numbers have been capped and must be increased. Apprenticeships have almost collapsed owing to the downturn and this route to skilled employment is almost closed off for young people. With the massive increase in jobless numbers, many redundant workers are seeking to go to college as mature students. An estimated 14% of the current batch of first year college students are over 23 and classified as mature. This figure is set to increase significantly next September.
When redundant young workers come to me for advice, I tell them to look for an educational opportunity for two to three years to upskill for the recovery. We must not close off that avenue for this group of people. Strategically and from an economic point of view it is the right thing to do. Unfortunately, teaching resources are being reduced in third level colleges. The number of full-time staff in our institutions dropped by 350 last year. At a time when student numbers are increasing, vacancies are going unfilled because of an embargo on recruitment and trained teachers are being left on the dole. The irony is that the Government is abandoning young people who, instead of benefiting from education, will find themselves on the dole alongside trained teachers.
The Taoiseach sounded hollow when he informed the Dáil that he hopes additional places can be provided but that no extra money will be available. He stated that the Minister for Education and Science will continue to work through the Higher Education Authority to maximise the use of existing and available resources in response to growing demand. At the same time the HEA is warning about capping numbers to protect the quality of higher education. A realignment in thinking between the Minister and the HEA is urgently required.
Unless the Government acts to increase the number of college and further education places, young people will be denied the courses for which they have worked so hard and those who have lost their jobs will be denied a second chance. They will remain on the dole indefinitely. The Government must act now in conjunction with the HEA to provide the necessary places by September. This should be a natural and instinctive response to the economic crisis. It should be part of our economic stimulus. It is not something that should be resisted by the Government because it is a question of being ready for the upturn whenever it comes. One of the main factors behind the Celtic tiger was our educated workforce and the large expansion of the third level sector. Ensuring access will help to drive the recovery.
Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science and thank him for listening so attentively to Senators' contributions. This is an important debate because, as the media have reported extensively in recent days, the CAO has experienced a huge increase in applications. This is a welcome development on one level because it reveals the strong education ethos in Ireland. Education is a great asset for young people because a certificate or diploma is a string to one's bow in a crisis. People should develop themselves to their full potential.
However, challenges arise for those among the 71,000 CAO applicants who do not achieve college places. These applicants include students on their way to college, young people who decided two or three years ago to take up employment instead of continuing in education, and graduates, such as young engineers and architects, who have nowhere else to go.
There will be a fall-off in the numbers but it is important nevertheless that we examine how the system copes with the challenge. The range of educational institutions include universities, private colleges, institutes of technology, post-leaving certificate colleges, FÁS and local employment schemes. People will transition to third level in different ways. Young leaving certificate students have the best chance because their guidance counsellors will help them to choose the courses that suit them. However, I worry about those who have become unemployed since leaving the education system. For example, let us consider the national guidance service. How well equipped is it to know what kind of courses we should provide and what will be the jobs of the future? Have in-service courses been provided for those professionals to equip them to handle young graduates, early school leavers, those who dropped out of school but who had points and who now want to come back and those who want to go to an institute of technology for hands-on vocational training? Does the national guidance service have the necessary resources to do the job? Is the service available around the country? Is there a guidance service for adults? I accept it is part of the VEC system. The service was good in the past but I question how equipped it is today as things keep changing. Should we increase the number of guidance counsellors to ensure they are available in all areas? They are the core professionals who could help people in today's climate.
One is told in the local social welfare office that one can access the back to education allowance and that various courses are available. I do not think staff in those offices are sufficiently knowledgeable about the courses that are available. They should be able to direct people to a guidance counsellor through the FÁS system or the VEC system. A service should be available to the unemployed to help them find out what courses are available and which course would be suitable for each individual. It is important to consider the characteristics and attributes of individuals and their qualifications. Yesterday's qualifications might not suit tomorrow's requirements. We have to consider those issues now. In the long term, we need to increase the number of guidance counsellors.
We also need to consider the courses that are on offer. Courses should not start in October and finish in June. They should be available on an ongoing basis. Courses do not need to be of nine months duration. It should be possible for people to do course modules, for example between October and January. A second term could be available also which might be sufficient to tide a person over. Courses need to be more flexible.
Post-leaving certificate colleges, PLCs, are now considered to be at two and a half level. They are not full third level colleges but they are more advanced than second level colleges. PLCs should not close at 4 p.m. They should be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. The system should cater for all people, those who are doing their leaving certificate and those who come back to education through the VTOS system. A guidance counsellor would help them. PLCs have to be developed more than is currently the case.
Co-ordination is required between the three Departments, namely, the Department of Social and Family Affairs, the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. They have to work together. One cannot isolate them as the areas of responsibility overlap when one becomes unemployed. The Departments need to work closely together on the options that are available. I welcome the core group that has been set up to examine the ranking of our education system internationally, future challenges and what can be done with current resources. It is not always a question of money; it is important to consider the infrastructure that is in place and how we can provide the necessary service. We have enough professional people to carry us through while we work out our long-term vision.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chuir roimh an Aire Stáit. This debate is timely and opportune. I compliment the Fine Gael spokesperson on education, Senator Healy Eames, on a positive and worthwhile contribution which has enlightened the debate. I hope the Minister will consider her suggestions, especially on in-service training. As a teacher I am aware of how important that is. We need to change the modus operandi and allow teachers the opportunity and flexibility to further their education and to educate others.
The debate is especially opportune given that students from around the country are present in the Gallery. Education is the lifeblood of our knowledge-based economy. It is the platform on which we can rebuild this country. The young men and women in the Gallery require two things from Government; a plan, which needs vision, and hope so they will have a chance in five or ten years of being a qualified graduate with an opportunity to find employment within their own country. The Government has put up the "For Sale" sign and forced people to emigrate and to apply for courses in the United Kingdom, in effect, to opt for anything other than what they want. We must give hope to those in the education system. That means we must have a plan and policies.
I disagree often with Senator Ormonde but I agree with one thing she said, namely, that we must examine the PLC system. We must acknowledge the tremendous work they have done and the flexibility they have introduced. Many PLCs are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., but they do not get due recognition. We need to strike a balance. A former principal used to say that one required the leaving certificate plus. As a teacher I recognise the importance of academic qualifications. The knowledge-based economy and the competitive global market dictates that we have graduates and post-graduates to PhD level and beyond.
However, we must also remember that some students will not attain the leaving certificate plus and will not go to college. They are the students who do the leaving certificate applied and those in Youthreach programmes who have an equal right to have their needs catered for and to be provided with an opportunity to flourish and let their light shine. The Government has dismantled the education system. Cutbacks have been made to special needs education, the VEC system and Youthreach. We are failing to allow young people to avail of education and therefore to flourish.
Let us forget the spin. The Minister of State's speech was great. I could not criticise any of it. However, the reality and what he said are two different things. That is a fact. I accept we live in a competitive world where India and China are producing graduates of quality, but so are we. If one does not service one's car or provide public transport one does not go anywhere. We have under-utilised our education system. The Government has demoralised teachers and university lecturers and created mayhem in the third level sector. The NUI has been abolished. Why did we abolish an independent awarding body of profound importance and impact? What message did that send to the educational establishments? The reason was to save a few million euro.
Pat Moylan (Fianna Fail)
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Does Senator Buttimer have a mobile telephone turned on?
Pat Moylan (Fianna Fail)
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Someone has. They should please remove it from the Chamber.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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It is important that the brand name of NUI is restored.
The Minister of State outlined the importance of third level in terms of enabling people to reach their full potential as individuals. He is dead right. I do not disagree with him. What has the Government done? It has made cutbacks to third level education. No attempt has been made to tackle under-funding and under-resourcing of third level education. A ban on recruitment to the public service has reduced staffing levels in third level institutions. Later, we will discuss youth unemployment. Let us consider in particular the number of young men under the age of 30 who are unemployed. That is a damning indictment of Government and an indication of its lack of vision. There has been a jump of 50% in the number of people applying to attend third level colleges in the United Kingdom because they cannot get a place on courses in this country. I asked a third level graduate how he would describe his experience. He stated, "The system is shocking, there is shortened library hours, there is a cutback in facilities, there is a cutback in choices being offered and there is no guidance or help being offered to us." This young student paid a fee of €1,500 to his university. There is a lack of job opportunities and a demand for higher qualifications to educate a modern workforce which has caused the number of CAO applications to increase by 5% to more than 71,000.
Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)
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That is the same level of increase as last year.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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What has the Government done? Why can it not lift the cap on PLC courses? The following statistics relate to three colleges in my city which do Trojan work in this area: Cork College of Commerce — number of applications, 3,500; number of PLC places, 1,940; number of unsuccessful applications, 1,655; Scoil Stiofáin Naofa, a tremendous college — number of applications, 2,765; number of PLC places, 600; number of unsuccessful applications, 2,165; and St. John's Central College — number of applications 4,500; number of PLC places, 1,200; number of unsuccessful applications, 3,300. These are three wonderful colleges in Cork. The Government has invested money in everything from PPARS, e-voting, Punchestown, the Bertie bowl, the back garden to the front door in Cork.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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There has been no investment in the airport. The Government cannot even break up Aer Rianta, which is the issue.
Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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The restriction on the number of college places is linked to a lack of resources. Fianna Fáil kowtowed to the Green Party in not addressing the fees issue because it was afraid of the political ramifications.
The Minister is a UCC graduate and a former lecturer. He should know that his dismantling of the structure of education will have repercussions for much longer than his tenure and should be ashamed of himself.
Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)
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Like previous speakers, I warmly welcome the Minister of State. I commend him on the excellent work he is doing in a brief that is more important that ever in the current economic climate. Senator Buttimer made an outrageously political speech but his fellow Corkman, the Minister for Education and Science, is carving out a reputation for himself as one of the great education Ministers supplied by our party. We have had many of them; one or two Fine Gael education Ministers were also great but the current Minister's legacy will be respected for many years.
I will try to bring fresh thinking as the final contributor to the debate. Clearly, it is not rocket science to figure out why the number of CAO applications is increasing. There are few opportunities for school leavers to enter the jobs market directly and the number of apprenticeship places is reducing because of the shrinkage in the construction industry. It is not rocket science to expect that there will be more of a preference for continuing in education than normal and we have to accept this. It is not doing a great service to students who are studying for the leaving certificate to exaggerate the uptake in demand because they have enough worries organising their study to try to get the points they need without being told there are two or three applicants for every place. The statistics show demand is increasing but it is not inordinate. It is in line with the trend of the past few years and in other European countries.
This is not a crisis. Ministers are faced with a challenge but this presents them with an opportunity like everything else they have faced in the recession. Sectors in which there was waste and services were inadequate have been isolated and tightened. The education sector was even worse than other sectors and, therefore, is no different. In response to demand additional third level places have become available, which might not have been the case had the squeeze not happened. More places might be found through reconfiguration and further economies.
I was shocked when the Minister referred to the paltry number of hours third level lecturers spent interfacing with students. That will ring a bell for those of us who attended university. I taught a full day at primary level and worked 22 hours a week at second level but I still had to bring my work home and correct copies and so on. Some university dons swan around the place and only interface with students for three or four a week. That was fine in the days of old style education and the ivory tower when there was no pressure on young people to qualify and be upskilled for the modern world. This issue needs to be examined further. I congratulate the Minister on having the courage to identify it.
Senator Healy Eames is correct about upskilling and how the Government is handling the teaching of important subjects such as maths and science. There is a question about whether we are at the cutting edge. Ireland was at the cutting edge 20 years ago and that is how we got the Celtic tiger moving. We led the posse on the smart economy but I am afraid that is not the case anymore. Major employers in the computer industry have sent out distress signals about future employment. They say workers may be sourced in emerging countries such as India and China rather than in Ireland. Having been head of the pack, we are losing ground. We need to get the whip out and all these issues must be identified and examined.
The Minister of State will say he has not capped the number of PLC places but we all know there is a cap. I contacted a few schools in County Kerry earlier and a number considered they could have taken on 50% more students in a number of courses had the resources and funding been made available. In some cases where, for example, 100 places were provided, they received sanction for the appointment of 0.8 of a teacher. Perhaps this issue can be examined. I am former member teacher unionist. Perhaps a little flexibility is required in the current climate regarding these courses in terms of the pupil-teacher ratio. A small bit of give on all sides would take much of the pressure off and help to remove the bottleneck at third level.
I would like VECs to have a more enhanced role vis-á-vis FÁS and expand the work they do in the community. Many VEC schools deal almost exclusively with second chance education and lifelong learning. There is no need for them to be closed for several months of the year. A school could remain open for 11 months a year without the need for additional hours for teachers. For instance, the VEC in County Kerry has signed a memorandum of understanding with FÁS which will reduce the duplication of services and lead to a better value product for the taxpayer. That should be considered throughout the State.
The CAO system is fair. I have never heard criticism of its operations and it is above board. More time will be needed for the processing of college applications and grant applications to be processed by local authorities and VECs because of the additional demand. Everything boils down to money. If we had enough, there would not be problems anywhere. There are many ways in which money can be saved in the education system. National schools were founded in 1832 and have served the country well. They educated and prepared us to become the nation we are today. They worked well up to the 1970s when, all of a sudden, people became inclined to be more selective, and there was a demand for other types of school, including gaelscoileanna and Educate Together schools. Can we still afford two single-sex schools in one small town? Let us consider that. Primary schools are absolutely first class and are suitable for most parents. I would like to see people have a choice, but we simply do not have the resources any more.
Let us consider secondary schools. In a town such as my own, Listowel, which has a population of 4,000, we have three second level schools — a secondary convent school, a branch of the Diocesan College in Killarney and a vocational school. It is ridiculous and a waste of taxpayers' money. There is duplication as taxpayers pay for buildings, teachers, heating, local authority charges and school wardens for each school. There is a major opportunity for savings.
Will the Minister of State inform the House of the whereabouts of the north Kerry education rationalisation programme, which was launched a couple of years ago under the aegis of a respected educator from the town, Frank Murray? We were assured it was proceeding but, all of a sudden, it has died a death.
Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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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.
Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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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?
Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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She got many offers.
Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Senator did not take up her educational offer for various reasons. I mentioned the various reasons people do not take up courses.
Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)
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I went on to complete seven years in university.
Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I understand the Senator went to college in Northern Ireland to pursue her studies in music.
We have had a good debate and I am delighted to have been able to participate.