(Limerick East) asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the admission procedure to CoACT courses which discriminates against students who have spent some time in third level education, in that such persons will not be considered for entry on the first or second round of offers even when they were not in receipt of European Social Fund payments; that this inhibits students from transferring from other third level colleges to CoACT and from transferring from one CoACT course to another; and if she will make a statement on that matter.
Written Answers. - CoACT Courses.
339.
The City of Limerick VEC is the statutory body entrusted with the management of Limerick CoACT including matters relating to admission procedures. I have made inquiries in the matter, however, and I understand from the VEC that the college procedure, which is printed on the application from, states that "preference is given to students who have not had previous third level education". The admissions office gives such preference by confining the first and second round offers to those who have not had previous third level education. The view is that those who have never had a third level education opportunity previously should have a level of preferential treatment over those who have.
The issue of European Social Funding is not relevant to the above consideration.
This question of the preferential treatment of persons without previous third level education does not, in fact, inhibit students transferring from other third level colleges to CoACT. In this connection I believe that CoACT has one of the highest levels of transfers into its courses from other third level colleges. It does, however, give some level of preferential treatment to students who have not had previous third level education as against those who have had previous third level education and who failed or abandoned their course or decided to change from their original course choice. Transferring into a course in CoACT would normally be done after the student had completed a significant period of study on a similar course in another college and could satisfy the admissions office that he/she had reached a standard equivalent to the appropriate course entry point in CoACT. A person who had completed a part of a course in CoACT or another college and who sought to gain admission to the first year of a different course would not be considered a transfer but would be considered as an application for a first year place from someone who had previous third level education.
I understand that there is also an Admissions Appeals Board which look at cases where the student feels that he or she can produce evidence or other material worthy of consideration in their personal case, i.e. certificate of serious illness.