Trevor Sargent
Ceist:136 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will reverse the higher education grant cut from September 2001. [23509/01]
Vol. 542 No. 1
136 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will reverse the higher education grant cut from September 2001. [23509/01]
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.