asked the Minister for Education the percentage of the age group 18 to 22 in this country following courses of higher education; and how this percentage compares with other Western European countries.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Higher Education.
47.
The information for this country is not available in the precise form requested by the Deputy, but the following figures represent an estimation of the percentage of the population participating in full-time third-level education at the age levels indicated in February, 1971: Aged 18 years, 8.9 per cent; aged 19 years, 10.1 per cent; aged 20 years and over, 6.7 per cent.
Because of differences of definition, nomenclature and organisation, it is not possible to provide a realistic comparison between these figures and participation rates in other Western European countries.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not give some idea of how we compare with other countries?
If I may just quote from the Commission on Higher Education, who have done quite a survey on this matter, they say at pages 74 to 75 of their report:
It is notoriously difficult to compare the statistics on higher education of one country with those of another.
That is the basis on which the Parliamentary Secretary gave the answer?
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.