A 23-member action group on access to third-Level education, appointed by the Minister for Education, Dr Woods, has only one member from outside Dublin. The group has no representation from the 13-county Border Midlands Western (BMW) region.
The appointments have been criticised by a Mayo TD, Mr Jim Higgins (Fine Gael), as "one of the most blatantly anti-rural bodies ever established. It is simply incredible that apart from Mr Brendan Goggin, registrar at the Cork Institute of Technology, the Minister has not nominated another single representative from outside a 15-mile radius of Dublin city."
Mr Higgins said: "Barriers to accessing third-level education are different in the BMW region from those in the Pale. These include rural poverty, geographical dispersal, lack of public transport, poor infrastructure and large distances."
Mr Seamus O'Grady, director of adult education at NUI Galway, said the seven third-level institutions in the BMW region were "all a bit surprised and dismayed that there was not better representation" on the new group.
He said NUI Galway had made a written submission to the group expressing disappointment that the group was not more representative.
Representatives from the seven BMW third-level institutions then met members of the group to highlight specific barriers.
A report from the ministerial group is expected before the end of the month.