Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 November 2022
158. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 92 of 18 October 2022, if he will provide a status update on the steering group tasked with progressing the implementation of future funding; the dates of all meetings the steering group has held to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59793/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government agreed a sustainable funding model for higher education in May 2022 following an extensive economic assessment undertaken through the European Commission's Directorate General for Reform.
Funding the Future, a funding and reform framework for higher education, was launched on the 25th of May this year.
We have committed to a mixed model of funding, including additional Exchequer investment, employer contributions through the National Training Fund, and the student contribution.
Exchequer investment through the annual Estimates process will fund enhancements of core funding of higher education, with the intention of reaching additional core investment of €307 million over the coming years.
In return, the higher education system will make progress across a number of key reform and performance priorities.
I established the Funding the Future Implementation and Reform Group to provide guidance to the Department on the rollout of the new funding and reform framework and to oversee progress against identified reforms.
As Minister I am leading this Group in conjunction with two co-chairs, both experts in the field of higher education, Professor Tom Collins and Professor Anne Looney. Membership includes sectoral, enterprise and societal representatives. The Group has met on four occasions (May 25th, June 29th, September 7th, and October 19th) since we launched Funding the Future in May and its significant inputs informed this year's Estimates process. Budget 2023 saw the first tranche of investment - €40 million - allocated to address the core funding gap.
