Frances Fitzgerald
Question:61 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Education and Science his estimate of the administrative cost of local adult education boards; and if these have been discussed with the Department of Finance. [25880/98]
Written Answers - Adult Education.
The Green Paper, Adult Education in an Era of Lifelong, proposes the establishment of local adult learning boards to co-ordinate the provision of adult education in their respective regions. However, the paper does not propose specific mechanisms for the implementation of this proposal but articulates the principles which should underpin the operation of the boards. How the implementation of these recommendations should best be achieved within emerging developments in regard to local services reforms generally will be a key focal point for debate in the consultation process which will follow the publication of the Green Paper.
As the number and scope of activity of the boards remain to be determined, it is not possible, at this early stage in the consultative process, to estimate the administrative cost of such boards. Accordingly discussions on the cost of this proposal have not yet taken place with the Department of Finance. However, the essential principles will hold that we will minimise administrative costs, ensure proper co-operation between bodies and focus resources on direct targeted initiatives.
Donal Carey
Question:62 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the low participation by mature students in third level education; and the proposals, if any, he has to tackle this problem. [25872/98]
The report of the steering committee on the future development of higher education recommended that the number of mature full-time entrants into third level education should be progressively increased from 1,000 in 1993-4 to 2,200 by the year 2000. Preliminary data indicate that the intake of mature students at third level in the 1996-7 academic year was in the order of 1,500 which represents significant progress towards meeting the recommendation in the steering committee report.
I am committed to developing initiatives to facilitate this increased participation. A range of measures have been introduced in recent years which have contributed to an increase in the number of mature students in third level. The Higher Education Authority provides targeted funding to its institutions for initiatives designed to support the participation of mature students, particularly second chance students. In 1997, the authority provided £615,000 for projects in this area. Further funding of £640,000 is being provided by the Higher Education Authority in 1998. In addition, the proposed new institute of technology at Blanchardstown and the Tipperary Rural and Business Development Institute will have a major focus on non-standard applicants and on mature students and continuing education.
In July 1997, I established a joint education-industry task force to improve the supply of technicians for high technology industries. Under this initiative colleges and industry jointly recruit, educate and train technicians. In seeking applicants for the courses, the aim is to attract the kind of applicant who might not before have considered a technician career. These applicants might include, for example, mature persons who may have been out of the workforce for a time and underemployed or unemployed persons. This is a most important initiative for providing a second chance for people to acquire technical qualifications while addressing one of the clear areas where skills are needed in the economy.
Part-time options are often more attractive to mature students and while a current age profile for part-time students is not available, it is estimated that approximately 85 per cent of the 23,000 part-time students currently in higher education are mature students.