A UNIFIED third level applications agency has been formed to simplify the procedure for students seeking places.
The Dublin Institute of Technology and the regional technical colleges are now members of the Central Applications Office (CAO).
Consequently, the Central Applications Services organisation, the CAS, which previously represented the DIT and the RTCs under a co operative agreement with the CAO, has been disbanded.
This will make no difference to students selecting college courses and filling out the CAO/CAS application forms this month. They fill out their forms in the normal way details are contained in the special College Choice 97 supplement to be published with The Irish Times on Tuesday.
The number of institutions represented by the CAO is now 26. Nine other non member third level educational institutions currently avail of its services on a year to year basis, subject to operational capacity.