PRESS RELEASE

02/03/2006

Record third-level education up-take for Cork students - Kelleher

Cork North-Central Fianna Fáil TD Billy Kelleher has said almost three out of five 17-19 year olds in Cork entered third-level education in 2004, according to new Government figures.

The deputy Government chief whip said the admission rate was above the national average of 55pc.

‘More and more students from Cork are going to college, with 58pc of all 17-19 years olds in the county opting for third-level education in 2004. In 1992, 37pc of all 17-19 years olds from Cork entered third-level education. By 1998, that figure had risen to 48pc. Now, it is 58pc.

‘The figures are very encouraging and it is a tribute to the collective efforts of students, parents and teachers in Cork who have made the county a true bastions of educational achievement and performance,’ said Deputy Kelleher.

He pointed out that this Government has spent €46.119 on capital prpjects in University College Cork since 1997. In 2004, the Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin, approved a new pharmacy school with 200 undergraduate places, a new social workers building and a therapies building for UCC.

‘Some €67.435 has been spent on capital projects in Cork Institute of Technology, including €5.3 million on a new state-of-the-art library.

‘In 2006, overall funding for the third-level sector across the country amounted to €1.7 billion.
That is double 1997 levels. Funding of €84 million was provided in 2005 for capital developments in the third-level sector. From 1997 to 2005, the expenditure in the university sector grew by 102pc and expenditure on free tuition is estimated at €300m in 2006.

‘We have dramatically improved financial support for third-level students. We introduced a top-up grant for most-in-need students which will benefit more than 11,000 college-goers this year. The maximum amount of grant support available this year is €5,355 compared to just €2,032 in 1996/97.

‘We are entering an exciting period for education in Cork and I want to see our proud record built upon and bolstered. There are still challenges to be met in getting more students into third-level education. Investment in third-level education is vital to strengthen current economic growth and lay firm foundations for the development of Ireland going forward,’ said Deputy Kelleher.

ENDS