Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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151. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the report by the expert group on future options for funding higher education (details supplied) is expected to present its final report to her; the main funding proposals that the expert group has presented to her in their interim report; the future funding options being considered by her Department for increasing the long-term sustainability of the higher education sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6242/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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An Expert Group is currently examining future funding options for higher education. The objective is to identify a range of approaches that, combined, will achieve a sustainable funding base to address the continual expansion of the sector while protecting the quality of education.

I understand that the Group intends to undertake a series of stakeholder consultations during the course of its work. As an interim report, the Group published a discussion paper on the role, value and scale of higher education last month and this is informing the first set of consultations. The paper is available on my Department's website at .

I expect to receive the Group's report before the end of 2015.