Vol. 401 No. 6
59 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she will outline the implications for third level education policy of the evidence of a fourfold increase in the proportion of graduates who are emigrating to work abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
While it is clear from the 1988 HEA survey "First Destination of Award Recipients in Higher Education" that the proportion of award recipients going abroad has risen sharply, from 5 per cent in 1982 to 19.9 per cent in 1988, that survey also shows that the accelerated annual rate of increase was halted and in absolute terms the number of respondents to the survey who found employment in Ireland was higher than ever before, at 500 more than the previous year.
There are many reasons why award recipients in higher education emigrate; it is important to recognise that these reasons do not relate solely to an inability to obtain employment in Ireland and include such considerations as opportunities for further training, wider experience and career advancement.
In the context of my Department's responsibility in contributing to a reduction in the level of emigration among third level award holders, the ESF-funded Advanced Technical Skills Programme and the Government initiatives to provide additional places in the university sector and to provide funding for the universities to meet development needs in specialised areas critical to industrial development are aimed at ensuring that graduates have the right skills to meet the needs of Irish industry and consequently improve their prospects of employment in Ireland.
