Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 393: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the Programme for Government to enable more older people to attend college through the enhanced availability of mature student places and the introduction of a new system of means-tested free fees for third level education. [18588/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Over the seven years of the NDP €13 billion will be invested under the Human Capital Priority to develop the capacity of the higher education sector to meet a number of key national objectives, including that of increasing the numbers of students participating in the sector.

Levels of mature student participation have seen an unprecedented growth from just 4.5% of full-time new entrants in 1998 to 12.8% in 2006-07. In fact, over the three academic years from 2004-05 to 2006-07, there has been a 29% increase in the number of mature students taking up places in the universities and institutes of technology. In that suite of institutions alone there are now over 4,100 mature students commencing undergraduate studies each year.

In addition to the core funding of institutions, innovative new initiatives on the part of third level institutions to increase levels of access and lifelong learning are also being supported by the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF). Over the course of the NDP it is planned that €510 million will be allocated to third level institutions through this fund. This funding is supporting some interesting new collaborations on the part of networks of higher-education institutions focusing on the needs of learners from disadvantaged communities.

A number of projects aim to significantly increase part-time and flexible learning opportunities for adults who wish to develop their levels of education and skills. The National Access Office are currently developing a new action plan which run concurrently with the National Development Plan (from 2008-2013). The plan will examine emerging issues and challenges, including progression from further to higher education. It will highlight ongoing and new areas of action, including work with institutions on the development of an 'access plan' as an integral element of the overall strategic planning process. The National Access Office will propose new national targets for participation in higher education. Strategies to support the achievement of those targets will be linked to the allocation of funding by the HEA.

The implementation of the commitment in the Programme for Government to introduce a new system of means-tested free fees for approved part-time courses will be considered over the life time of the Government. In relation to the commitment on part time fees in paragraph 7.9 of Towards 2016, my Department and the HEA have initiated the process of developing proposals for a targeted fund, to be financed from the National Training Fund, to support workers pursuing part-time courses at third level in public institutions.

In developing criteria for the operation of the fund regard will be given to the following objectives:targeting people in work who have not had the opportunity to pursue third level education previously to level 8 on the National Qualifications Framework; reducing the amount of fees that workers pay; maintaining the current benefits in relation to employer support and tax relief available to workers in respect of third level fees; and allowing for a part refund to be paid on successful completion of each academic year of the relevant course.

The criteria for accessing the fund will be developed in close consultation with other stakeholders. My Department will be initiating these consultations in the coming weeks.