Micheál Martin
Ceist:243 Mr. Martin asked the Minister for Education the amount of Exchequer funding to be provided to universities for the purpose of providing additional places for the 1996-97 academic year. [13310/95]
Written Answers. - University Sector Capital Budget.
Micheál Martin
Ceist:244 Mr. Martin asked the Minister for Education the amount of Exchequer funding to be provided to universities for the purpose of providing additional places for the 1995-96 academic year. [13311/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 243 and 244 together.
The 1995 capital budget for the university sector is £15.7 million. The 1996 capital budget for the sector will be determined in the context of the annual Estimates process.
I should point out to the Deputy that the Government has as part of the National Development Plan already approved a capital investment programme of around £8 million per annum in respect of the university sector for the period up to 1999 of which 75 per cent will be financed by a non-repayable grant from the European Regional Development Fund. The European Regional Development Fund expenditure will be on projects urgently needed to bring teaching facilities in targeted facilities to a higher standard.
The Government has also recently approved the provision of £30 million funding by the State over the period 1996 to 2000 towards capital developments provided it was matched by a similar level of funding by the universities from private sources. The investment programme of £60 million will enable the universities to accommodate an additional stock of 6,200 students by the year 2000.