Vol. 522 No. 3
232 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the trend in teaching and research staff and in students in the areas of science and applied science and in engineering and technology at both university and institute of technology level over the past ten years. [18621/00]
The Higher Education Authority does not compile statistical information on teaching and research staff on a faculty basis. In the university sector, the overall number studying science and engineering, including computing and information technology, has increased from 10,800 full-time students in 1989-90 to 18,808 full-time students in 1998-99.
The trend in teaching staff in the areas of science and applied science and in engineering and technology in the institute of technology sector over the past ten years is not readily available.
With regard to the trend in student numbers, the number of full-time students studying engineering, including architecture, in institutes of technology increased from 6,785 in 1989-90 to 11,044 in 1998-99. The number of students studying science in the institutes increased from 4,154 to 10,299 in the same period.
Figures available from Forfás in respect of researchers indicate that there was an overall increase of 661 full-time equivalent researchers in the higher education sector from 1990 to 1998.
233 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has conducted a review of the adequacy of third level facilities for science and applied science, engineering and technology; the level of investment needed; and the way in which this compares to investments in the past five years. [18622/00]
The Higher Education Authority maintains a continuous review of the demand and need for higher education. It does this through dialogue with institutions and other State agencies; involvement in studies such as those done by the expert group on future skills needs and the implementation of decisions arising from them; and commissioning of studies in specific areas, for example, pharmacy education. It maintains detailed statistics of student enrolment and publishes a yearly survey of first destinations of graduates. Arising from the de Buitléir report, it is also formally requested to regularly review Irish participation in higher education against participation rates in other developed countries.
In response to the first report of the expert group on future skills needs, that is, the Horn report, an investment programme of £75 million was put in place in order to provide additional computing and engineering places.
234 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the capital cost and the annual cost of putting in place extra third level places in a range of science, technology and engineering courses at university level and at institute of technology level; and the number of places in each course needed to generate an annual extra graduate in that course. [18623/00]
The capital cost of providing a place in the disciplines alluded to by the Deputy is based on the amount of space required per place and the unit cost of providing that place. The cost of providing the required space is made up of: construction costs, professional fees and the furnishing and equipping of buildings. Construction costs will vary depending on the complexity of the building and the level of services required for the field of study to be accommodated. Final actual cost can only be determined by reference to tender prices.
In the university sector, the Higher Education Authority has advised that the average unit cost in 1997-98 was £5,140 in science and £5,564 in engineering. This unit cost represents the full cost of a place on an undergraduate degree programme in these subject areas. The average duration of a degree course in these disciplines is four years.
Unit cost data for science, technology and engineering is not available in the institute of technology sector. A unit cost system of allocating funds to institutes of technology has not yet been developed. However, my Department has initiated a review with a view to preparing proposals for the allocation of current funding to the institutes of technology based on the concept of unit costs or an alternative suitable formula-based system.
The number of third level places required is a multiple of the number of annual graduates required and depends on factors such as the length of the course and the student completion rates. The first report of the expert skills group identified a need for 2,800 university places to provide an additional 900 professional technology graduates and 2,600 institute of technology places to provide 1,300 technicians each year.
