Survey findings on third level class divide are years in the making

Independent TD Carol Nolan has said that she is personally aware of many families in Offaly who are experiencing a growing financial inability to support their children in accessing third level education.

Deputy Nolan was speaking following the publication of the Irish Independent feeder school survey that has revealed there was a decline in the percentage of students from socio-economically challenged backgrounds going to college.

The survey also found that around 59pc of Deis school students went to third-level last year, compared to 64pc in 2024.

The Offaly TD said she has been flagging this specific issue for a number of years, having warned in 2022 that third-level education was at real risk of becoming the preserve of the wealthy or those fortunate enough to belong to very high-income families:

“I accept that there have been some improvements in recent years in terms of allowing students to earn more before their grant access is affected; but the fact remains that very many of the families I am dealing with at constituency level simply cannot bear the cost of having to find to money for fees and accommodation for their children,” said Deputy Nolan.

“Parents with ‘good’ incomes are finding their children are only being offered paltry supports of €500, while low-income families, who are supported through grants and fees assistance face insurmountable accommodation costs.”

“The cost-of-living crisis has become an access crisis for families in Offaly and indeed the midlands, and that in turn is at least partially to blame for the growing social divide gap that we are seeing.”

“We must ensure that those with the talent, desire and ambition to attend third level are able to do so and that they are not denied access because they went to a Deis school. That is a complete betrayal of the social contract on the part of the state,” concluded Deputy Nolan.

ENDS