Laois third level need must be met with Portlaoise campus

A Laois Fianna Fáil local election candidate has called for funding for a third-level educational campus to be established in Portlaoise.

Naeem Iqbal, a Portlaoise Municipal District hopeful, said it is vital to the future economic development of the county.

Last year, 956 students in Laois sat the Leaving Cert Examinations. The majority of those students went onto third-level education in the neighbouring counties such as Carlow, Limerick, Galway, Dublin, Cork and others.

Speaking as students sit the first day of the 2024 Leaving Certificate examinations, Mr Iqbal said.

“Teenagers from Co Laois are forced to travel or relocate to other counties to access third-level education. They face higher costs of living and higher rents as a result.

"We need to entice these students to stay in their home county. The only way we can do that is if a third-level educational facility is developed in Portlaoise. This would give students additional time for their studies, social and family life. It would also reduce the extra costs parents face when they help their teenagers travel to attend campuses further afield.

“If more people stayed in the county, more money would be spent in the local economy which in turn would see the expansion of the economy and creation of more jobs. Local businesses would also have a better talent pool for employees.

“With a third-level education, there would be a greater potential to attract foreign students. Not only would that be good for the economy (the fee paid by the foreign students is significantly higher than the fee paid by the local students), but it would also support increased diversity and inclusion,” he said.

The LOETB-run Portlaoise Institute provides post leaving cert courses with graduates going to higher education/university after doing the Leaving Certificate.

The nearest third level facility to Laois is SETU in Carlow.