The story of the extraordinary development of the Irish third-level education system over the last four decades is told in a new book launched yesterday.

Investing in People: Higher Education in Ireland from 1960 to 2000, by Tony White, concludes that the dramatically increased provision of higher education "has positioned the State well for an age when information and developed brainpower have become key factors for any society aspiring to economic growth and wealth creation".

White's book charts the transition from a small, elite system to one with a very high participation rate. However, White notes that it took the skills shortages of the late 1990s to force official recognition that Ireland had failed to spread the benefits of higher education across all segments of society.

Former Taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald, chancellor of the National University of Ireland, was the guest of honour at last night's launch. Investing in People is published by the Institute of Public Administration (£24).