Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Question 16: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students in higher education during the academic year 1996/97 and in the current academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5545/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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In 1996/97, there were 100,204 full time students enrolled in higher education institutions in Ireland as well as 22,795 part time students. Provisional enrolment figures for 2010/11 show that there are currently 159,056 full time students enrolled in our institutions and 26,645 part time students. This includes both undergraduate and postgraduate students. This is a 59% increase in the number of full time students being accommodated within the system and a 17% increase in part time students.

This expansion in participation has had a hugely positive impact on the skills level of Ireland's workforce which has played a key part in attracting foreign direct investment into the Irish economy as well as raising the performance of Ireland's indigenous companies. The latest OECD Education at a Glance (2010) shows that the tertiary education attainment rates in Ireland's workforce (25-64 year olds) are now significantly above both OECD and EU19 averages.

In terms of Ireland's economic renewal, a vibrant, sustainable and widely accessible higher education system remains of central importance. We need to ensure that our higher education institutions continue to accommodate the needs of full time entrants to higher education, while also developing more flexible routes into higher education so that adults in the workforce can better engage with educational opportunities at this level. The importance of this aspect of our system's development is emphasised in the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 and will be a focus of future policy development.