Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for Education and Science, further to Parliamentary Question No. 1835 of 24 September 2008, if he is satisfied that the universities in the third level sector who reported substantial deficits are not at risk of foreclosure or other threats to their stability and that they have adequate insurance to cover all liabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33071/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Universities Act, 1997, confers autonomous statutory responsibilities on universities in relation to the day to day management of their affairs. It is a matter for each university to manage their financial resources and to take the necessary steps to ensure that expenditure is kept within the approved budget. I understand from the Higher Education Authority (HEA), which is the statutory planning and development body for higher education and research in Ireland and is the funding authority for the universities, that it is in continuing correspondence with the universities in relation to deficits and it is satisfied that they are taking action to address any such deficits.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 279: To ask the Minister for Education and Science, further to Parliamentary Question No. 1693 of 24 September 2008, if funding for the university sector and the third level sector here has fallen as a percentage of GDP or GNP between 1998 and 2007; the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33072/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Expenditure on tertiary educational institutions, including universities, from public sources amounted to 1.38% of GNP in 1998. In 2007 similar expenditure amounted to 1.25% of GNP. There have been substantial improvements in the funding of higher education in recent years. Overall provision to the third level sector (capital, recurrent, student grants etc) amounted to some €1.5 billion in 2004, some €1.9 billion in 2007 and some €2 billion in 2008. This is an increase of over 33% since 2004 and an increase of over 111% since 1998 levels when funding to the sector was some €949m.

In recent years, recurrent funding allocated specifically to the University sector has increased from €631 million in 2004 to some €790 million in 2007 and to some €831 million in 2008. It represents an increase of some 32% since 2004 and an increase of some 118% since 1998 levels. This excludes separately provided programmes of funding for capital, for research and development and from the Strategic Innovation Fund.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 280: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are vacant places through the Central Applications Office in third level colleges here in more than 100 courses including science, engineering, business and law courses; the steps he is taking to ensure that these vacant places are filled; if he will ensure that colleges try to fill these vacant places with unemployed persons or persons who can be equipped to participate in a knowledge based economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33073/08]

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 281: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the information provided to his Department by universities and third level colleges each year updating his Department as to the numbers of places that have been left vacant in those colleges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33074/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 280 and 281 together.

Higher-education institutions do not routinely provide information to my Department or the HEA on vacant places. At this time of year, the issue of vacant places is very fluid due to the efforts made by institutions and the CAO to fill such places. Annual returns to the HEA suggest that the overall number of vacant places is going down and in a number of cases CAO points requirements have also lowered. An increasing number of students are now opting to enrol on higher-level programmes such those at level 8 of the national qualifications framework. As a result, there has been an increase in vacant places at level 6 of the framework.

Substantial efforts are made to fill vacant places. Available/Vacant place courses are advertised on the CAO website where unfilled places are available in a course. The institutions concerned continue to try and fill these places until the end of the CAO season (October 15th). Offers of places are made to eligible applicants at the earliest opportunity in order to fill such available places in order to commence the courses as early as possible. Many institutions advertise in newspapers and on local radio and encourage anyone interested in pursuing a course to apply. Places are available to all categories of applicants, unemployed, those requiring re-training and even applicants who have accepted a course elsewhere where such a course is more appealing to them. Provided an applicant is eligible, most are usually offered with 7 days of applying. Those applicants presenting non-standard qualifications are advised to contact the Admissions Office of the Institution concerned prior to application to seek advice on the application process.

Attracting students to programmes in the areas of science and engineering continues to be a challenge and ultimately decisions are a matter for students themselves. However efforts continue to be made to encourage uptake in these areas and to improve access for people who have not previously benefited from higher education. As one such example, the HEA and higher education institutions are currently investigating opportunities for the transfer of students previously enrolled on apprenticeship programmes into higher education. The Strategic Innovation Fund has also provided support for initiatives such as the Cork Institute of Technology led Education in Employment project which is developing frameworks for work-based learning and the recognition of prior learning as a means of improving access to higher education.