(South Tipperary) and Mr. Coughlan asked the Minister for Education what increases in the numbers of university students in the State are expected within (a) five years, (b) ten years and (c) 20 years ahead; and what steps will be taken to deal with the expected number of university students in the decades ahead.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Higher Education Statistics.
21.
The Report "Investment in Education" published in 1965 estimated that the total number of full-time students in Irish universities would reach 19,000 by 1970, and about 21,000 by 1975. The Commission on Higher Education in its Report published in 1967 estimated that the total of full-time university students would reach 23,000 by 1975. I stated in the House on 11th July, 1968, that I anticipated an increase of the order of 6,000 in the total of university student numbers over the following six years. This would bring the total to about 22,000 by 1974.
Projections beyond 1975 have not yet been made. It will be for the Higher Education Authority in the first instance to make the further projections for which the question asks.
I am aware that each of the university institutions has plans for the provision of additional facilities which should cater for the increased student numbers expected up to 1975. The Higher Education Authority has, I understand, commenced work on the formulation of a capital programme to cater for expansion over the next ten years.
In view of the contemplated substantial increase in university student numbers in the decade that lies ahead, would the Minister consider asking the Higher Education Authority to conduct a searching inquiry into the academic value of such Faculties as Sociology, Psychology and si sic omnes which appear to have no academic discipline whatever whereby they may properly be judged and which, in other countries, appear to have become cesspools for the fall-outs, drop-outs and ineffectives of the university population?
Deputies
Hear, hear.
Indeed, much of the philosophy behind the Deputy's supplementary question is my philosophy in regard to the new Institute of Higher Education in Limerick which is to have a system of higher education there that would be geared to the regional and national requirements of business and technology and administration and teacher-training. It is precisely the same line of reasoning that impelled me and that impelled the Government to adopt this proposal which I am very glad to see is being welcomed by everybody concerned.
I am not prepared to accept that our approach to and our reasoning in this matter are identical. I am concerned to ask the Minister, in view of the very large increase in student population, whether he would ask the Higher Education Authority to examine Faculties with a view to determining if there is any real academic discipline whereby their ultimate value to the students enrolled can be measured and, where such academic discipline does not exist, that the value of such so-called Faculties will be reviewed with a view to eliminating them if they are, in fact, making no material contribution to the students enrolled in them.
This is part of the whole terms of reference of the Higher Education Authority. I shall bring the remarks of the Deputy to the notice of that body.
I am much obliged.
22.
(South Tipperary) and Mr. Coughlan asked the Minister for Education if he will state in respect of the latest academic year for which figures are available the number of university students at UCC, UCG, UCD, TCD and the Royal College of Surgeons (a) whose homes were within 30 miles of (i) Cork, (ii) Galway, (iii) Dublin and (iv) Limerick and (b) who were from (i) all other parts of the Republic, (ii) the Six Counties, (iii) Great Britain and (iv) outside Ireland and Britain, giving the figures for each college separately.
23.
(South Tipperary) and Mr. Coughlan asked the Minister for Education if he will state in respect of UCC, UCG, UCD, TCD and the Royal College of Surgeons (a) the number of full-time students and (b) the total number of students, including full-time, part-time and adult education students, attending the colleges in the academic years 1928-29, 1938-39, 1948-49, 1958-59 and 1968-69.
24.
(South Tipperary) and Mr. Coughlan asked the Minister for Education if he will state in respect of UCC, UCG, UCD, TCD and the Royal College of Surgeons the numbers of students attending the colleges (a) from within a radius of 30 miles and (b) from the remainder of the Republic, in the academic years 1928-29, 1938-39, 1948-49, 1958-59 and 1968-69 or the latest year for which figures are available; and what percentage of all students, including part-time and adult education students, were attending each college and living within a radius of 30 miles of the college during the years stated above.
25.
(South Tipperary) and Mr. Coughlan asked the Minister for Education if he will state in respect of the commission of inquiry into university accommodation (a) the name of the chairman and the number of members of the commission, (b) the date on which it was set up, (c) the date of its first meeting, (d) the date of its final meeting, (e) the date of its final report, (f) the total cost of the commission, including salaries paid to civil servants, printing, etc. and (g) what student accommodation was requested from the commission by the authorities of (i) UCC, (ii) UCG, (iii) UCD, (iv) TCD and (v) the Royal College of Surgeons.
26.
(South Tipperary) and Mr. Coughlan asked the Minister for Education if he will state in respect of the Commission on Higher Education (a) the name of the chairman and the number of members of the commission, (b) the date on which it was set up, (c) the date of its first meeting, (d) the date of its final meeting, (e) the date of its final report and (f) the total cost of the commission to the State, including salaries paid to civil servants, travelling expenses, printing, etc.
The information sought by the Deputies in Questions Nos. 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 in so far as it is available is being furnished in the form of tabular statements which, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, will be circulated with the Official Report.
Following are the statements:
Home residence of Students (full-time) for 1965-66.
The information in the form requested by the Deputies is not available. The following table sets out the information in so far as it is available. Figures in respect of Limerick are not available.
|
Home Residence |
UCD |
UCC |
UCG |
TCD |
RCSI |
|
Within 30 miles radius |
3,699 |
1,458 |
809 |
810 |
|
|
141 |
|||||
|
Other parts of the State |
2,613 |
723 |
1,074 |
468 |
|
|
Six Counties |
225 |
18 |
13 |
655 |
4 |
|
Great Britain |
145 |
40 |
19 |
816 |
107 |
|
Elsewhere |
227 |
42 |
43 |
250 |
359 |
Numbers of Students:
Figures are not available for the individual colleges in respect of 1928-29. Accordingly, the figure for that year represents the total number of students in the four university colleges.
|
College |
1928-29 |
1938-39 |
1948-49 |
1958-59 |
1965-66 |
||||
|
Total Number |
F.T. |
Total |
F.T. |
Total |
F.T. |
Total |
F.T. |
Total |
|
|
UCD |
2,161 |
2,271 |
2,961 |
3,225 |
4,218 |
4,629 |
6,909 |
9,227 |
|
|
UCC |
3,532 |
853 |
942 |
936 |
1,115 |
1,275 |
1,605 |
2,281 |
2,957 |
|
UCG |
584 |
669 |
762 |
798 |
915 |
1,012 |
1,958 |
2,044 |
|
|
TCD |
1,543 |
1,594 |
2,236 |
2,539 |
2,268 |
2,567 |
2,999 |
3,295 |
|
|
RCSI |
N.A. |
N.A. |
N.A. |
601 |
601 |
611 |
611 |
F.T. = Full-time.
N.A. = Not available.
Home residence of Students for certain years.
Such information is not available in respect of part-time and adult education students for any year and in respect of full-time students for 1928-29. In the case of the RCSI the required information is not available for any of the years in question, nor, in the case of TCD, for 1938-39 and 1948-49.
1938-39
|
Home Residence |
UCD |
UCC |
UCG |
TCD |
|
|
(i) |
30 miles radius |
720 |
463 |
336 |
— |
|
(ii) |
Other parts of the State |
N.A. |
386 |
238 |
— |
|
(iii) |
Totals |
2,161 |
853 |
584 |
— |
|
(iv) |
(i) as % of (iii) |
33% |
54% |
58% |
— |
1948-49
|
(i) |
30 miles radius |
909 |
309 |
373 |
— |
|
(ii) |
Other parts of the State |
N.A. |
562 |
334 |
— |
|
(iii) |
Totals |
2,961 |
936 |
762 |
— |
|
(iv) |
(i) as % of (iii) |
31% |
33% |
49% |
— |
1958-59
|
(i) |
30 miles radius |
2,180 |
683 |
397 |
632 |
|
(ii) |
Other parts of the State |
1,717 |
536 |
454 |
351 |
|
(iii) |
Totals |
4,218 |
1,275 |
915 |
2,268 |
|
(iv) |
(i) as % of (iii) |
52% |
54% |
43% |
28% |
1965-66
|
(i) |
30 miles radius |
3,699 |
1,458 |
809 |
810 |
|
(ii) |
Other parts of the State |
2,613 |
723 |
1,074 |
468 |
|
(iii) |
Totals |
6,909 |
2,281 |
1,958 |
2,999 |
|
(iv) |
(i) as % of (iii) |
54% |
64% |
41% |
27% |
Commission on accommodation needs of the constituent colleges of the NUI.
(a) Chairman: Chief Justice, Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh. There were 8 other members.
(b) The Commission was formally appointed on 26 September, 1957.
(c) First meeting: 15 October, 1957.
(d) Final meeting: 17 April, 1959.
(e) Date of final report: 1 May, 1959.
(f) The Report was not printed but the cost of the stencil paper, binding and printing of cover was £151 (approx.). The expenditure incurred in respect of Civil Servants' salaries is not readily available and an inordinate amount of time, which would not be warranted, would be required to ascertain the figure in question.
(g) This information is given in the submissions of the College authorities which are contained in the Appendices to the Report. TCD and the RCSI were not included in the terms of reference of the Commission.
Commission on Higher Education.
(a) Chairman: Chief Justice, Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh. There were originally 27 other members: this number however was subsequently reduced to 26 by the resignation of His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Conway; and to 25 by the death of Mr. Joseph Griffin.
(b) The Commission was formally appointed on 4 October, 1960.
(c) The inaugural meeting took place on 8 November, 1960.
(d) The final plenary meeting was held on 13/14 October, 1967.
(e) Division II Volume 2 of the Commission's Report was published on 13 April, 1968.
(f) Total expenditure has amounted to £80,750.