Meath County Council has just appointed independent consultants to undertake a study of the county's higher-level and continuing education requirements. The results are due to be published next February.
Mr Brendan McGrath, director of community and enterprise with Meath County Council, said the county development board had been preparing an integrated strategy to 2012.
"One issue that has come up again and again is the non-existence of the direct provision of third-level or higher education in Meath. A lot of people, especially the business sector, see this as a barrier to the future growth and development of the county.
"The council has also discussed this on a number of occasions in the past six to nine months. Two strategic policy committees, one on infrastructure and the other on planning and economic development, have also been looking at the lack of provision."
Mr McGrath added: "With all this in mind, the council needed to open a study looking at the provision of higher education."
Consultants Grant Farrell Sparks have been appointed to take on the project. As part of their brief, they will examine all aspects of higher education in Meath, including the number of students who currently attend third-level institutions outside the county, the provision of adult education, lifelong learning and all facets of the higher-education system.
Economic and demographic data and social indicators will be examined to identify current strengths and gaps that may need to be addressed.
The process will also involve consultations with all the relevant "stakeholders", including the policy-makers, the various higher- level institutions, the regional branches of the IDA and Enterprise Ireland, and the Chambers of Commerce in Meath.
"Meath is the only county in Ireland with two Gaeltacht areas and is promoting itself as a heritage county," Mr McGrath points out, by way of explaining a curious deficit in third-level provision for such a centrally important county.
While not wishing to pre-empt the results of the study, he says the consultants will look at what third-level colleges students from the county attend at present and the types of courses they are taking.
The consultants will examine the situation at second level to make projections for the likely demand for third-level places in the future.
Best practice in other jurisdictions will also be examined to identify new approaches.
The consultants meet the council's two policy committees today. "Obviously because of the importance so many groups attach to this, the sooner it's completed the better," Mr McGrath said.