At least three leading State-funded third level institutes of technology have been ordered to draw up three-year financial recovery plans after it emerged they are millions of euro in debt - putting significant pressure on key front-line services.

Third-level dropout rates are as high in some universities as institutes of technology when account is taken of differences in their student intake and other factors.

The Government has said it will take steps to increase the number of IT graduates as 80 new jobs were announced in an equity software firm in West Cork.

A new €14m engineering- focused campus is to be opened by Limerick Institute of Technology in a year’s time.

4,000 lecturers at the country's Institutes of Technology will go on strike today in a row over cutbacks and staff levels.