asked the Minister for Education the projections, if any, for student enrolment in higher education contained in the paper on future enrolments in third-level education published recently by the Higher Education Authority which he accepts; and the action he proposes to take to ensure that the required number of places are available.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Higher Education Enrolment.
1.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 9 on 11 May 1978 in which I gave projections of enrolments at first, second and third levels in the period 1978-79 to 1981-82. These projections are referred to at pages 24 and 25 of the study, "Future Enrolments in Third-Level Education", by John Sheehan, published by the Higher Education Authority. These projections, together with the other projections made in the study, will be subject to further examination in the light of recommendations to be made to me by the Higher Education Authority in due course.
I have requested the authority to advise me specifically as soon as feasible in relation to the higher education needs of the greater Dublin area. The authority hopes to be able to make its recommendations to me in this regard by mid-1979.
Does the Minister accept that, in order to restore the position to that which existed in 1975-76, we would need 50,000 places in higher education by 1981? Will the Minister commit himself to provide that number of places to restore that kind of change for the pupils leaving our second-level schools?
I accept my responsibility with regard to third-level education and I will provide the places necessary year by year.
Does the Minister agree that the projections he gave in his reply last year were considerably less than 50,000 third-level students for 1981? If the Minister is not going to provide that number of places in 1981 does he accept that the situation in that year for the second-level leaver will be worse than it is today?
The Deputy should keep his supplementaries short.
Will the situation in 1981 in regard to second-level school leavers for third-level places be better or worse than it is today and will it be as good as it was in 1975-76?
I can give an assurance to the Deputy, and to the House, that all necessary third-level places will be provided by the Government in the future and on the dates referred to in the question.
That does not answer my question as to whether the situation of the school leaver will be better or worse in 1981 compared with what it is today and what it was in 1975-76?
I expect it will be better, because many more places will be made available. When this matter was raised yesterday I pointed out to the Deputy that we are pushing ahead strongly with the National Institute for Higher Education in Dublin. We have almost completed extensions to almost all the regional technical colleges and we are committed to providing places in accordance with the special report which I commissioned from the Higher Education Authority and which Professor Foster is working on at present.
The Minister will be held to his commitment that the situation will be better.