Trevor Sargent
Question:136 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will reverse the higher education grant cut from September 2001. [23509/01]
Written Answers. - Higher Education Grants.
State support for third level funding increased again this year to an unprecedented level of approximately £1 billion. This overall figure comprises £863 million in respect of current expenditure and £137 million in respect of capital expenditure.
The number of students in the State-aided third level sector has doubled from 60,000 in the 1988-89 academic year to a current level of 121,000. The level of expenditure has quadrupled from £251 million in 1988-89 to a current level of approximately £1 billion.
This expenditure has facilitated a major expansion in library and general facilities available in the university sector. In the recent past, for example, Dublin City University's library and information resource centre was completed in 2000, providing 1,000 additional student reader places. Trinity's new library was completed this year and a new library extension was completed in the National University of Ireland, Galway, in 1999.
Similarly, in the institute of technology sector funding is being provided for additional learning information resource facilities in Carlow, Dundalk, Galway and Waterford.