Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 April 2004
407 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans he has in place to grant an increase in funding to third level institutes for the provision of library services, tutorials and academic support; the funding that has been granted in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11709/04]
View answerThe sum of €630.5 million has been provided in the 2004 Estimates for universities and HEA-designated institutions. I have no plans to provide additional funding to the sector this year.
From 1997 to 2004, there was an increase of almost €300 million in the recurrent provision to the university sector. That represents an increase of approximately 90% over the period. Overall funding, capital and current, for the wider higher education sector will stand at €1.48 billion in 2004. That is up €631 million, or 74%, on 1997 levels.
I am aware that the universities will be challenged in the short term by the constraints on recurrent Exchequer funding placed on them in 2004, having regard to overall cost pressures. I appreciate that individual institutions are required to find economies and to become more streamlined in some of their operations in order to reconcile available budgets with pre-existing demands and commitments. That must be viewed, however, in the context of overall increases in investment in higher education over recent years and the Government's longer-term strategic objective for excellence in the sector.
The funding provided in 2001, 2003 and 2003 for universities and HEA-designated institutions was as follows: 2001, €538.0 million; 2002, €592.3 million; 2003, €628.8 million.
