October 6, 2000

Irish Universities Enroll Few Needy Students

By KAREN BIRCHARD

Irish universities have largely failed to enroll and graduate needy students, according to a new government report.

Middle-class students are the overwhelming majority at Irish universities, says the report from the Irish Higher Education Authority. In fact, the report shows that only 2 percent of graduates come from working-class families, even though they make up 17 percent of the population. All universities try to recruit students from low-income homes,