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Third Level Reform

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 May 2022

Tuesday, 10 May 2022

Questions (616)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Question:

616. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science which of the options 1,2,3 or a hybrid, analysed as part of the economic evaluation of the Cassells report most closely align with his proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23349/22]

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Written answers

On the 4th of May I launched Funding the Future – a landmark policy on the future of higher education. The policy sets out the vision and direction of higher education funding, our commitment to addressing legacy issues in higher education and detailing our ambitious plans for investment and reform.

Funding the Future was created as part of a Department of Further and Higher Education, Research and Innovation response to the commissioned independent report Increasing the Sustainability of Higher and Further Education in Ireland and the separate independent review of the Student Grant Scheme, conducted in response to a Programme for Government commitment to review SUSI eligibility criteria, adjacency rates and postgraduate grant supports.

The Increasing the Sustainability of Higher and Further Education in Ireland report recommends that the Government should decide how the funding gap will be addressed. It presented an economic analysis of the 3 options presented in the Cassells’ report and a subsequent hybrid option for government consideration and decision on the optimal future funding composition for higher education.

Arising from consideration of this report, the Government has decided that the funding model for higher education will continue to be a mixed one, comprising funding streams from the Exchequer, employer contributions and student contributions. Student loans, which were proposed in the Cassells report, will not form part of the funding model.

This approach follows the proposals for sectoral funding ourlined in option 2 of the Report of the Expert Group on Future Funding for Higher Education (2016) which considered a funding model of increased state funding with continuing student fees. However it is important to note that the  detailed funding framework has been developed as a comprehensive response to the current core funding challenges faced in the HE system and the costs of education for students, building on the recommendations of both this report and the SUSI review aligned with key Governmental and Departmental strategic priorities.

The Funding the Future policy is available at the following location: www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/49e56-future-funding-in-higher-education/.

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