Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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That is a very pertinent question. It is something that we provided in 2022 and 2023. We have been clear, when we have been providing for it last year and this year, that it is on a one-off basis. There is no doubt but that we live in a world where pressures are expressed to us, as public representatives, and we have to try to seek to address them. I cannot give a commitment here and now, which I am sure members will appreciate, but it would be desirable if we are in a position to be able to help continue to force down the cost of education to everybody. It has been a central focus of the Department in addressing the cost of education across a whole range of measures. Part of that has been to produce an annual paper, which is recognition by the Department of the issues in addressing the cost of education to students.

There are many moving parts to addressing the cost of education, and this has been one of them, as the Deputy will be aware. What was the Cassells report has morphed into the Funding the Future paper, which has identified demands on our available finances. There is a settled figure of €307 million in terms of addressing the deficit of the funding of our higher education institutions. We have closed that gap significantly over a period of two years. There are other pressures in terms of dealing with legacy issues around pensions, particularly across our university sector. There are also demands in the whole area of further education, which the Acting Chair and the Deputy are both well aware of.

It would be desirable and ideal to provide the measure next year, but obviously, I am not in a position to give that commitment at the moment. Certainly, the conversation and the pressure will come around again in the budget next year.