Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 November 2004
63 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans she has to provide additional funding to third level sector in view of the fact that an increase in current spending, excluding research, of just six per cent, cannot be seen to make much of an impact when inflation is taken into consideration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30632/04]
View answerThe overall funding, capital and current, for the third level sector which I secured in the 2005 Estimates will stand at €1.58 billion. The additional funding being provided in 2005 marks a return to the significant upward trend in recurrent funding for the sector and will assist in meeting pay and other cost pressures. Taken with my announcement of the commencement of implementation of the Kelly report, I hope we can lay a basis for developing the capacity of our higher education institutions to assist the country in responding to the economic and social challenges we face.
The 35% increase in funding for research activities in the sector, reflects the particular importance of the programme for research in third level institutions, PRTLI, and the role of the two research councils in providing the basic research infrastructure and in supporting the skilled researchers that are essential to our broad national strategic objectives. The recent OECD review of Irish higher education highlighted the key role of the sector for our future social and economic development. This echoes the recent report of the Government enterprise strategy group which states that Ireland's economic development, and the social dividends that flow from that, will depend to a large degree on knowledge and innovation. Supporting our higher education institutions in playing that central role is a major policy priority for the Government. The OECD report also identifies the need to align funding allocations with the achievement of national and sectoral objectives. I support that principle. A number of institutions are now embarking on far-reaching programmes of internal restructuring and reform. Some are further down that road than others. These efforts are crucial to ensuring that, collectively, we can develop the capacity to meet the wider challenges that we face.
I am committed to supporting those efforts, recognising that this requires a close working partnership between the Government and the sector as we seek to progress implementation of the OECD report. I want to ensure that funding allocation decisions for the coming years will support and promote our wider strategic objectives.
