Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 668: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason applications by mature students for the Central Applications Office entry process to third level close on 1 May 2009, while the deadline for non-EU citizen applications is 1July 2009; the measures he is taking in view of the rise in unemployment to ensure that there is a need to be flexible with admitting potential students to third level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22517/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The application procedures for entry to third level undergraduate courses including the closing dates applicable to different classifications of applicant are determined by the individual third level institutions. While the initial CAO closing date is 1 February, late applications are accepted up to 1 May and 5,945 such applications were received this year, an increase of 51% on 2008. On 2 July next the CAO will publish details of its Available Place courses where places are likely to be available following the first round of CAO offers in August. A further opportunity will be available for people to apply for places on such courses from 18 August 2009.

Where applications are made through the CAO the closing dates are the same for both EU and non-EU applicants. However, applicants seeking entry on grounds of mature years may be subject to an additional assessment procedure to determine eligibility and may be required to apply directly to the institution concerned. Many institutions also require EU and non-EU applicants presenting examination results other than the Leaving Certificate, FETAC and GCE to apply by 1 February in order to allow time for assessment of the qualification based on submitted documentation. Where Institutions require non-EU students to apply directly to the institution the closing date for such direct applications is determined by the institution concerned and varies.

A range of initiatives have already been put in place to assist unemployed people engage in upskilling in the third level sector. These include the rolling out of a range of accelerated level 6 programmes between February and April this year which afforded unemployed persons the opportunity to complete the first year of a standard two year programme in an accelerated manner so that they can move to the second year of the programme in September 2009. The majority of these courses are 15 weeks duration with exams being held over 1/2 weeks. These programmes are currently running in the Institutes of Technology in Athlone, Carlow, Letterkenny and Sligo. The cost of the programmes are being met from within existing resources and there is no charge to participants.

Institutes of Technology are also utilising spare capacity to provide over 900 places on a range of newly developed part time transition programmes. These programmes have been developed to assist unemployed people who may be some time out of the formal education system to find out more about the type of third level courses that may be suited to them and to build their confidence to return to education by developing some of the necessary skills for studying at third level. Courses are free of charge to participants. It is hoped that a significant number of participants on these courses will be encouraged to apply for a range of third level certificate and degree programmes commencing in September 2009. The programmes are being run on a part time basis, with participants remaining available for opportunities to re-enter employment. The courses are being delivered over a period of 10 to 15 weeks with participants committed to between 6 and 10 contact hours per week. These programmes are currently running in the Institutes of Technology in Blanchardstown, Carlow, Cork, Dun Laoghaire, Galway-Mayo, Letterkenny, Sligo, Tallaght, Tralee and in DIT.

The accelerated programmes and third level transition courses are targeted specifically at unemployed persons. The Institutes have worked closely with local FÁS and Department of Social and Family Affairs offices both in terms of marketing the courses and advising participants of their entitlements in relation to social welfare payments. Further information on these programmes is also available directly from the participating Institutes.

In addition, 1,500 places will be provided to enable persons who are unemployed to pursue third level certificate or degree programmes on a part time basis. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment will provide funding to support this initiative and arrangements for the operation of the programme are being developed jointly by officials of my Department and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with a view to implementation from September 2009. The scope to further develop these initiatives and to identify other appropriate responses which the third level sector can make to support the up-skilling of unemployed people is being examined by a Higher Education Labour Market Response Group which I have asked the HEA to establish and to report to me by the end of June.