Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 October 2022
602. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the way in which the €307 million figure contained in the funding the future policy document would be spent, with a specific comment on any funds dedicated to improving the conditions of PhD researchers and other staff members on temporary, contingent and or precarious contracts. [51749/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn May 2022, the Government agreed a sustainable funding model for higher education. Following an extensive economic assessment undertaken through the European Commission's DG Reform programme, €307 million has been identified as the level of funding required to address the current underfunding in higher education.
My policy position in this regard was articulated in Funding our Future, the Government's policy response to the Cassells and DG Reform Reviews on the future funding of higher education. Sustainable funding for the sector and measures to address the cost of education must proceed in tandem if we are to meet our ambition of improved outcomes for learners and the system as a whole. This process is critical to enabling a number of key reforms, protecting quality and ensuring a fit for purpose sector which is enabled to evolve and adapt to future challenges.
It is the Government’s intention that implementing the funding and reform framework will improve quality of outcomes from tertiary education, will strengthen the agility and responsiveness of higher education and will enhance the reputation of Ireland’s higher education system internationally, including in international rankings.
The reforms and strategic outcomes identified by Government as a priority are as follows:
- Create unified knowledge and skills system which is balanced and integrated
- Strengthen representation in higher education for underrepresented groups
- Enhance quality by reducing the ratio of students to academic staff to comparable EU and OECD norms
- Reinforce alignment of sector with skills needs of the country – including those needed to deliver essential public services and meet national goals
- Drive forward a culture of lifelong learning
Budget 2023 includes an allocation of €40 million as an important initial step to address the sustainable funding of higher education as laid out in Funding the Future. This is a full year cost and an increase in the level of baseline funding from the 2022 estimates.
It is envisaged that the adoption of a sustainable funding model will enable steps to be taken to move back towards European and OECD norms in terms of staffing ratios. It will also support the sector in moving away from the scale of use of more precarious forms of employment arrangement, subject to agreement by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
Separately from the €40 million allocation under Funding our Future, Budget 2023 provides for an increase of €500 in the PhD stipend. This will apply to all researchers who are in receipt of the stipend from SFI or the IRC.
