“Rates of third level education in the State were higher than the EU average last year, according to data published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The data showed that 58% of 25-34 year olds had a tertiary level qualification in 2020 in Ireland, compared with an EU average of 41% …” (more)
[Jade Wilson, Irish Times, 29 November]
“Demand from CAO applicants for places in the newly-established Munster Technological University has surged, according to the university’s president, Professor Maggie Cusack. She was speaking at a ceremony where the MTU flag was raised for the first time …” (more)
[Paschal Sheehy, RTÉ News, 8 November]
“Some of the 70% of secondary students who enter higher education would be better suited to technical or vocational options, an Oireachtas committee has heard. Ireland currently has one of the highest rates of progression to third level in the world …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 2 November]
“University College Dublin (UCD) is to expand its student population with the aid of a €350 million loan facility from the European Investment Bank (EIB). UCD plans to increase faculty numbers by 50% and student numbers by 25% over the coming decade. EIB president Dr Werner Hoyer will visit the college on Friday to announce the loan facility which will support capital development projects on campus …” (more)
[Ronan McGreevy, Irish Times, 29 October]
“The number of third level students being deemed eligible to receive State SUSI grants continues to fall, while numbers attending college continue to rise, data received by RTÉ News shows …” (more)
[RTÉ News, 14 October]
“The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) and the Irish Universities Association (IUA) have expressed disappointment Budget 2022, arguing that more needs to be done for the third-level sector …” (more)
[Mairead Maguire, University Times, 12 October]
“The number of students enrolled in higher level education has increased by almost 17.5% over the past six years, according to new data released by the Higher Education Authority (HEA). The number of students enrolled in third-level institutions rose from 209,000 in 2014 to 245,000 in 2020 …” (more)
[Jade Wilson, Irish Times, 11 October]
“The number of enrolments in higher education has increased by almost 17.5% over the past six years and new data released today by the Higher Education Authority reveals that more and more students are now achieving first class honours than before …” (more)
[Maura O’Shea, HEA, 11 October]
“”Residents living near the University of Limerick read the recent RTE News Report of commuter woes for students and the reasons for this with disbelief. Residents’ believe it is the years’ of poor planning by University Management that has led to many issues …” (more)
[Aoife O’Reilly, Limerick Post, 4 October]
“David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of medical training undergraduate places, by discipline available annually; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 30 September]
“Leaving Cert grade inflation means measures are likely to be needed for next year’s exam students to make sure they have fair access to higher and further education …” (more)
[Wayne O’Connor, Independent, 5 September]
“The Central Applications Office will today issue a total of 6,163 offers of college places to students. Round zero offers are made to CAO applicants who are not competing with students awaiting Leaving Certificate 2021 grades, or who are assessed on other criteria …” (more)
[Jess Casey, Irish Examiner, 5 August]
“The State’s colleges and universities have offered extra places for students for the third year in a row, but this cannot keep happening, the Irish Universities Association (IUA) has said. On Tuesday, the Cabinet considered plans to spend €24 million to pay for 4,600 more college places to cope with extra demand this year, but also pent-up demand from last year …” (more)
[Martin Wall, Irish Times, 14 July]
“Extra capacity at third level for students to study medicine, pharmacy and law are among proposals to be brought to Cabinet on Tuesday. The proposal is for just over 4,600 additional college places to be established. Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris is expected to seek Government approval for €24 million to fund the extra places including 440 in health sciences like nursing, pharmacy and medicine and 450 in science subjects. There are to be 120 extra places in education-related courses and 102 in law …” (more)
[Cormac McQuinn, Irish Times, 13 July]
“Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the expected number of fourth-level graduates in both technical and academic sectors in the future in terms of the demand and the ability to meet that demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 8 July]
“Extra places in universities for medicine and pharmacy students will be included in a plan by Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris to create 4,500 extra third-level places. The news comes after it emerged that the points needed for some high-demand courses will rise as students who sat the written Leaving Cert last November take up places now offered to them …” (more)
[Brian Mooney and Cormac McQuinn, Irish Times, 9 July]
“New college places to be created this year will be enough to offset the potential effect accredited grades and increased demand will have on this year’s race for courses. That is according to Education Minister Norma Foley, speaking ahead of the Leaving Certificate exams getting underway tomorrow …” (more)
[Jess Casey, Irish Examiner, 8 June]
“Mayo TD Rose Conway-Walsh has called on the government to stop downplaying the scale of the increase of applicants to the CAO and to take action to make additional places available. The Sinn Féin spokesperson for Further and Higher Education, Conway-Walsh stated: ‘The Leaving Cert results being delayed until September 3 will be very stressful news for students and their families …'” (more)
[Connaught Telegraph, 6 June]
“Cavan-Monaghan TD Pauline Tully has called for an increase in places available for those studying for a mental health qualification. Teachta Tully said …” (more)
[Sinn Féin, 31 May]
“Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students attending third-level education for the academic year 2020-2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 20 May]
