School leavers from areas in north Dublin are less likely to go on to third level education than their peers in southside areas, according to a survey published by the Higher Education Authority today.
Today’s figures show that five postal districts south of the Liffey had admission rates above 50 per cent in 1998 which varied from 77 per cent in Foxrock/Glencullen (D18) area to 50 per cent in Co Dublin areas.
But only north county Dublin areas had an admission rate over 50 per cent, while the Castleknock/Blanchardstown area (D15) had a 40.5 per cent admission rate, whereas Coolock/Darnadale area (17) had a rate of 8.4 per cent and Finglus/Ballymun district (D11) had a rate of 14 per cent.
Alternatively the figures contained in the report College Entry in Focus: a Fourth National Survey of Access to Higher Education, highlighted a growth college attendance by lower socio-economic groups since 1980.
It showed attendance levels by students from unskilled working backgrounds rose from 3 per cent in 1980 to 20 per cent in 1998, while students from a semi-skilled background increased from 9 per cent to 23 per cent. On the flip side the higher professional group had the highest attendance rate at 97 per cent.
Written by Prof Patrick Clancy, this is the fourth report on participation in higher education rates in a series which began with the analysis of higher education in 1980.
Third level education standards in the Republic are now at the international norm. But the report warned other countries are increasing their admission levels and the Republic’s main competitors have between ten and 30 per cent higher admission rates.
Though southsiders had the highest third level attendance rate, Dublin county overall showed lower rates than most counties in the Republic. The report put the rate of admission in Dublin county at 38 per cent, the second lowest county alongside Co Offaly.
Co Donegal had the lowest admission rate at 35 per cent, although the figure rose to 46 per cent when entrants to Northern Ireland institutions were included.
School leavers from the West of Ireland are more likely to attend college - as all five counties had over 50 per cent admission rates. Co Galway had the highest attendance rate at 57 per cent, followed by Co Mayo and Co Sligo with 56 per cent respectively, and Co Leitrim had a 53 per cent rate.
Co Roscommon however was lower down the scale along with Co Clare and Co Limerick with an admission rate of 50 per cent. While Co Kerry had a participation rate of 53 per cent.
Prof Clancy said: "Its [Dublin's] consistent designation as one of the counties with the lowest admission rate runs counter to the situation in other countries where the large urban centres tend to have the highest levels of participation."
Only one in 20 students entered third level aged over 23 years while 52 per cent of new entrants were aged 18 years and 19 per cent were aged 17 years.
Given the technology boom towards the end of the 1990s it is no surprise that technology was most popular areas of study accounting for just over a quarter of new entrants.
Commerce came in second on the popularity stakes - at 21.5 per cent of enrollments, while humanities courses accounted for 16.6 per cent and 12 per cent chose science.