Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 September 2021
448. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if assistance can be provided in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44512/21]
View answerHigher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous and manage their own academic affairs including admissions procedures. The CAO process applications for undergraduate courses on behalf of the HEIs. Decisions on admissions are made by the HEIs who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. Neither I nor my Department have a role in the operation of the CAO.
The CAO system is a system that works on the assumption that grades obtained in the Leaving Certificate by candidates determine their points. It is on this basis that the CAO system allocates places to applicants including those from different years. To ensure impartiality, the automatic CAO points systems have been created in a way that does not allow for different treatment to be applied to different sub-groups.
In recognition of the particular circumstances faced by students this year, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science worked with the HEA and the Higher Education Institutions to identify where additional places could be provided in the higher education system. As a result of this, together with the additional places created under the Human Capital Initiative, 4,650 places have been created across a wide range of courses which ensured that more students than ever before could be offered a place in a third level course.
Nonetheless there were fluctuations in CAO points this year, as there are every year. As this year saw a stronger than usual set of grades, and a record number of applications, there was more volatility this year than there would be in a typical year.
I know how difficult a time it has been for students and parents, and we appreciate how disappointing it can be not to receive an offer for your course of choice, but we would like to stress the range of options available both in further education and training and apprenticeships, but also in pathways in higher education. For those whose route into higher education may not be what they originally planned, there are many pathways available in the further and higher education system. For primary teaching, those who are not successful in gaining place on an undergraduate Bachelor of Education may apply for a Professional Master of Education (PME) course on completion of a level 8 undergraduate degree.
