Mr. Jim Miley:

I thank the Deputy for her question. The challenge last year for our member universities was they took in just short of 10% extra students on a full-time equivalent basis in a single year. It was an extraordinary increase. There was the normal growth, if one calls it that, and then we had the extra numbers arising from the grade inflation and Covid-19. We were asked on two occasions by the system to provide extra places and on both occasions we responded favourably. The headline figure for the increase in funding last year looks attractive, but when the fact 10% extra students are being paid for is included, along with the national pay agreements, over which we have no control, the rates for which the Government sets for our staff, and which we must pay, the net increase for the core grant for the eight institutions that we represent was €22 per student. That is what it came to. Effectively, it is a standstill situation. That is the reality.

In fact, looking at national pay awards, the amount of money the HEA provided to our institutions did not cover in full the extra staff costs we had to pay out. Our universities actually lost money in the national pay round last year, to put it in very bald and simple terms. Those are the realities. What we are saying is that whatever package comes through in the coming weeks and if there is a political decision taken to reduce student contributions, that is a political decision-----