Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The expert group has been established in recognition of the fact that the current situation may not be sustainable into the future. As I said earlier, the group will report at the end of this year, following which we will examine the options put forward. I agree with the Deputy that we need to plan for the future.

On the contribution from students, my predecessor made it clear that the fee would increase gradually year-on-year until it reached €3,000. That was made clear a couple of years ago and that is what is happening.

However, the expert group is designed to ensure we look to, and plan for, the future so whoever is in Government after the next election will have clear guidance as to how we fund higher education into the future.

It must be said that the sector has responded very well to the economic difficulties that every sector across every Department has had to confront. If one contrasts, for example, the situation in Britain with the situation here, the position of students here is not as financially pressured as it is for students in Britain. This is an issue that confronts other countries as well. We have put this expert group in place and it is doing really good work. I have already received an interim report from the group and it will make proposals for the future. As soon as we receive that report, we will debate it and make plans for the future.

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