Vol. 549 No. 3
420 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science his proposals to remove the discrimination against mature students who do not reside adjacent to Dublin, Cork, Galway, or Maynooth in the matter of pursuing the Higher Diploma in Education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6547/02]
The higher diploma in education is a one year full-time postgraduate programme offered by five universities: Trinity College Dublin and the four constituent universities of the NUI at Cork, Dublin, Galway and Maynooth. Entry to the programme is subject to an entry quota, the setting of which is monitored on an ongoing basis by my Department and the Higher Education Authority. There are currently 1,000 places available on the programme, including 40 places on the higher diploma in education programme offered through the medium of Irish in NUI Galway.
