More than 5,000 new third-level college places in "high-technology" courses will be provided over the next four years under a £75 million plan announced by the Minister for Education, Mr Martin. The plan is aimed at dealing with skills shortages, particularly in the IT and electronics sectors.
Mr Martin said the initiative would provide an additional 5,400 places - 3,000 at degree level and 2,400 at technician level - mainly in engineering and computer hardware and software courses.
The programme will start in October, probably with about 600 new places. It will expand to 5,400 places by 2003, with an annual output of 2,200 graduates and technicians. The £75 million allocated will be spent on buildings and equipment.
It is understood that most of the extra places in October will be provided by expanding existing courses and therefore can be applied for through the normal procedures of the Central Applications Office. There may also be some direct entry provision.
Mr Martin thanked the Government's expert group on future skills needs, under Dr Chris Horn, head of the computer firm Iona Technology, for identifying and quantifying the specific skills required to be tackled by expanded third-level courses.
He said he was responding to the Horn Group's emphasis on the need for "a high growth scenario in the technology sector". The £75 million being allocated was additional to the £250 million Technology Education Investment Fund and £180 million for university and Institute of Technology research funding, he said.
Asked why it had taken so long to respond to the Horn Group's recommendations, which were made last summer, Mr Martin said implementing the Technology Investment Fund and the research funding package had "stretched the capacity of the third-level system to absorb" large new funding. The Department of Education is now negotiating with universities and Institutes of Technology to see where the new places can be provided.
The Minister said the latest initiative was "sending out a strong signal to industry that we are serious about dealing with skills needs". Having a "high-skill, high-value economy" was what would differentiate Ireland from its competitors in the future. Issues such as taxation would become less important - "what we have to do is be ahead on the skills front and on investment in education".
He said universities and third-level colleges were now experiencing the "largest investment and building programme since the foundation of the State". It was "a particularly exciting time" for the institutes of technology, he said. Mr Martin: Stressing need for "high-skill" economy