Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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1264. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to increase the delivery of third-level college places; the location of the additional third-level places to be allocated; and if these will be allocated to the HEAR or DARE programmes or other similar schemes in other colleges across the country given the current shortage of same. [18109/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of the high number of CAO applications this year, and officials from my Department are engaging regularly with representatives from the higher education sector in relation to the 2021/22 academic year and demand for places.

€18 million has been provided in Budget 2021 to deliver new undergraduate student places from September 2021 which will address demographic growth pressures. These places are in addition to additional places funded through the Human Capital Initiative Pillar 2, which will be on undergraduate courses in areas of identified skills needs.

Nonetheless, there will be fluctuations in CAO points this year, as there are every year, which will depend on the volume of applications, the number of applicants who meet the entry requirements, the number of places available and the grades received by applicants. The CAO process applications for undergraduate courses on behalf of the Higher Education Institutions. Decisions on admissions are made by the HEIs who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. As such, neither I nor my Department have a role in the operation of the CAO.

My officials will continue monitor the situation as it develops and I will take action as necessary to ensure the availability of a full range of further and higher education options for the class of 2021.

The HEAR and DARE programmes are administered by the Higher Education Institutions, and any changes to the allocation of places to these programmes is a matter for the institutions themselves.