Third level graduates: Figure doubles in 10 years

THE number of college graduates rose by more than 180,000 in a mere four years and has almost doubled in the past decade, according to census figures published yesterday.

The education and qualifications volume from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) shows there were 829,102 people — or one in four over the age of 15 — with a third-level qualification when the census was taken in April last year. This compares to 646,837, or one in five over-15s, in 2002. In 1996, only 462,288 or one in every six people aged over 15 had a third-level qualification.

Labour Party education spokesman Ruairi Quinn said the increase, almost 80% in a decade, shows that the decision by Labour’s education minister Niamh Bhreathnach in 1995 to abolish third-level fees is paying off substantially.

“Just as the benefits of the decision by Donogh O’Malley to abolish fees for secondary school in 1966 took time to become apparent, so too did those of Labour’s scrapping of college fees. However, the evidence presented by the CSO figures is a clear indication that the decision is now bearing fruit,” he said.

Of the Irish-born population, 28% had a college qualification. Among non- Irish people that rate was 38%. Of those from EU countries other than Ireland and Britain, 58% were third-level graduates and half of those from outside the EU were educated to third level.

The number of people whose highest level of education is primary school fell from 552,2200 four years ago to 514,085, or less than one-in-five aged over 15. However, nearly 30% of people working in farming, fishing and forestry have only a primary education, slightly higher than the 26% of clothing and textile workers.