Ireland has the highest rate of third-level degree attainment in the EU, with just over half of all 30 to 34-year-olds in Ireland completing third-level education.

A total of 51.1 per cent of Irish people in this age range have third-level degrees, which is around 16 per cent higher than the EU average of 35.8 per cent.

The information, which was compiled by Eurostat, show there is still a large gender difference in third-level qualifications, with 57.9 per cent of Irish women having completed third-level education comparing to 44 per cent of men.

Ireland is currently well above the EU target that states 40 per cent of the population between the ages of 30 and 34 will have degrees by 2020.

This initiative also includes a target to reduce the rate of early school leavers to below 10 per cent. Ireland’s rate of young people leaving school early now stands at 9.7 per cent, which is under the EU average of 12.8 per cent.

The EU Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth Androulla Vassiliou said the progress in achieving education targets is a positive message in a time of economic uncertainty.

“The jobs of the future will demand higher qualifications and these figures show that more young people are determined to achieve their full potential. We are also seeing that efforts to improve Europe’s education systems and increase accessibility are paying off.”