Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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317. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in relation to the academic years beginning September 2010, 2011 and 2012, the total number of students with FETAC qualifications accepted onto CAO courses; the percentage of these that subsequently continued into second year of their chosen course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9642/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Higher Education Authority have advised my Department that they cannot identify the percentage of those with FETAC qualifications progressing into second year with the data currently available. There is data available however from the CAO relating to CAO acceptances by those entering with a FETAC qualification and of those, students whose admission into their chosen programme is based on their FETAC qualification.

The most recent data shows that in 2013 there were 76,949 applicants to the CAO of these 15,767 (F 8,509, M 7,257) mentioned having a FETAC qualification in their application. That equates to 20% of applicants. However those actually offered a place based on their FETAC scores was overall 7,347 (L8 3,017 and L6/7 4,330). Overall based on headcount (no double counting) 4,889 offers were made based on a FETAC score. Of these 4,889 offers there were 3,033 acceptances (L8 – 1,517 and L6/7 – 1,516). The following table gives some trend data over the last 4 years.

CAO FETAC Data 2010 - 2013