The Higher Education Authority has said new measures are needed to encourage more young people to go to college.
A new study finds significant gaps between some parts of the country in the numbers attending third level education.
Participation rates nationally of 18 to 20-year-olds have increased from 44% to 52% over the last five years.
However, almost 60%of young people in Donegal do not attend college, with the figure rising to 85% in the Dublin 17 suburb.
You can read the report in full here.