Extra college places and Leaving Cert

Sir, – The recent Fianna Fáil proposal ("Cancel Leaving Cert, says FF, News, May 2nd) that extra college places should become available for Leaving Cert students because fewer international students are attending third-level institutions suggests that in normal times Irish students are being disadvantaged by such an international student intake.

While we all understand the value of international students in third- and fourth-level education, and while education leaders traditionally say that such an intake does not negatively impact on Irish students as it’s not a zero-sum gain, this proposal by Fianna Fáil suggests otherwise. – Yours, etc,

KEVIN

NOLAN,

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Rathfarnham,

Dublin 16.