COLLEGE applications have jumped this year, most likely due to the jobs gloom and the threat of a return of third-level fees in the future.

According to preliminary figures, the CAO received more than 66,000 applications before the February 1 deadline.

It is up by well over 2,000 on the comparable figure last year, when there were 63,868 applications. There were 61,961 applications in 2007.

The shrinking jobs market is certain to have played a role as this year's school-leavers considered their choices for next September.

And Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe's support for the return of fees may have persuaded second-level students and their parents not to delay any decision to go to college.

Mr O'Keeffe is due to present proposals on the fees issue to the Cabinet in April.

In recent years, a rise in CAO applications was attributed to greater demand from mature applicants, but a similar trend is not evident this year.

Nor is any significant change expected in Leaving Certificate candidate numbers, which suggests that a greater proportion of school-leavers are opting for the college route this year.

Overall application figures usually rise further as the year goes on and as the CAO accepts late applications.

Higher Education Authority (HEA) chief executive Tom Boland said the evidence pointed to the fact that someone who leaves school early was four times as likely to be unemployed and when the economy recovers there would be more employment opportunities for graduates.

Science

Mr Boland said it still made more sense for people to stay in, or return to, education. He said that even in the current climate, Ireland still needed more graduates in certain disciplines, such as science and technology, particularly in areas such as "green energy" and biotechnology.

The trends in demand for different disciplines is not yet known, but it is to be expected that areas, such as architecture, which have been badly hit by the recession, will see a further downturn in interest, while there may be greater pressure for 'safer' areas such as teaching.

- Katherine Donnelly