The Government's continued failure to implement a key report is doing real damage to the further education system, according to Fine Gael spokeswoman on education Olwyn Enright.
She accused Minister for Education Mary Hanafin of sitting on the McIver report, published three years ago, which contains recommendations to improve further education.
It recommends extra staffing and new structures for post-Leaving Cert (PLC) colleges. These currently provide an alternative to universities and institutes of technology for 30,000 students.
Ms Enright said: "The further education model has the capacity to bring educational opportunity to many people, providing a wide range of courses in locations all over the country.
"Ireland, however, is one of the few countries in the EU which does not have a formal further education sector, and this hampers growth, expansion and improvement in the field."
She continued: "In order to be able to work to its potential, the further education sector needs greater flexibility, funding, autonomy and support. By failing to put in place supports for further education, this Government is not allowing the sector to develop and is stifling its ability to grow."
The report proposed that PLCs should be given resources to pay for more librarians, computer technicians and full-time managers. It said that a council of further education colleges should be set up to oversee the sector as part of the reforms, estimated to cost €45 million.
"These recommendations need to be progressed and implemented. Minister Hanafin should indicate which of the McIver report recommendations she will act upon for the next academic year and also give a timescale for the full implementation of the report," Ms Enright said.
She added that action to support the further education sector was vital.