Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Today, the funding the future report was launched. It is crucial. It will involve an investment of €307 million in our third level sector. We have close to 245,000 students in higher education in Ireland, an increase of almost 20% from 200,000 in 2010. It is crucial the investment reduces lecturer-student ratios and is used for infrastructure and facilities. It is also about accessibility. We need to encourage students coming through post-leaving certificate, PLC, courses and further education into higher education.

The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, has confirmed that no income contingent student loans will be part of this. This investment from the Exchequer, through the National Training Fund, will involve an annual review of costs because we know the costs for families of sending children to third level. Ireland is high in the OECD rankings. According to a report in 2019, over 50% of 24- to 64-year-olds have a third level qualification. We rank highly in terms of what we are able to achieve, but we need to make sure our third level sector will be fit for purpose in the time ahead.Ireland ranks high in what we can achieve, but we must ensure our third-level sector will be fit for purpose in future.

Changes are being made to student supports, including to those provided through the SUSI programme. These changes will commence in September. All students receiving SUSI supports will get an additional €200. The adjacency qualification distance will also be reduced from 45 km to 30 km and the income thresholds will be increased. For postgraduate students, the income threshold to allow people to benefit from a grant will increase from €30,000 to over €50,000. All these changes will ensure that third-level education is more accessible to more students in Ireland.