THE EUROPEAN Union has never adopted an interventionist approach in relation to education, but the influence of Europe has transformed Irish policy at primary, secondary and third level a conference in Cork has heard.
Prof Áine Hyland, emeritus professor of education at University College Cork (UCC) said access to education had improved dramatically in recent decades with Ireland’s use of European structural fund money in the 1980s at regional technical level being one example of the positive influence of the EU on the well-being of Irish citizens.
Speaking at a conference at UCC on Saturday, Dr Hyland said the emergence of what is regarded as EU education policy has come about on the basis of an open method of consultation.
“It is interesting to watch how the carrot rather than the stick had a profound influence on Irish education. Our use of European structural funds is hugely significant in the growth of participation in further and higher education in Ireland. Of €70 billion received by Ireland from EU cohesion and structural funds from 1973 to 2004, Ireland invested almost one third in human capital particularly in education and training.
“It was a massive investment in education and it was made possible through the structural and cohesion funds. Other countries did not put as much of that money in to education.” Prof Hyland said an impressive level of money was invested in the regional technical colleges in the 1980s when the economic situation was poor.
David Begg, general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trades Unions said policy in Europe has on the whole been positive from Ireland’s point of view.
“In fact if you look back over the last 30 years it is hard to see any decent progressive legislation that hasn’t originated in the European Union directive.”