Written answers

Wednesday, 5 April 2017

Department of Education and Skills

Student Support Schemes

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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148. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the specific measures he plans to deal with concerns regarding third level student support and funding challenges for third level institutions. [16849/17]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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In 2017, my Department will invest almost €450m in access measures to assist students from under-represented groups to participate in and complete higher education.  

This will benefit approximately 80,000 disadvantaged students through the student grant scheme. Other measures include the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities.

The Report of the Expert Group on Future Funding for Higher Education, published in July 2016, clearly outlines the funding challenges facing the higher education sector. The report also makes a number of recommendations for consideration for the future. As committed to in the Programme for Government, I have referred the report of the expert group to the relevant Oireachtas Committee for its consideration, in order to build political consensus on the most appropriate future funding model for the higher education sector.

While the Cassells report deals with the medium and long term funding needs of higher education, we also have to consider the immediate challenges. In that context, I am pleased to have secured additional funding for the sector, in Budget 2017, for the first time in nine years. An additional €36.5m has been made available in 2017 as part of a €160m three year funding package. This includes €8.5m for access measures, including the reintroduction of postgraduate maintenance grants for the most disadvantaged students. This additional money will allow the sector keep pace with demographic increases and introduce targeted initiatives in areas such as disadvantage, skills, research and flexible learning. Among those who will benefit from the additional third level funding being made available are students from disadvantaged backgrounds, lone parents, and Travellers.

In addition, my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform are currently undertaking a public consultation process on a proposed Exchequer-Employer investment mechanism for higher education and further education and training. It is estimated that the mechanism, which proposes an increase in the National Training Fund levy from 0.7% to 1% between 2018 and 2020, could yield close to an additional €200m revenue in 2020. Comments on the proposal may be submitted to either Department by 5 p.m. on Thursday 13th April 2017. Full details of the consultation process are available on the websites of both Departments.

The intention is that, taken together, these approaches will contribute to and inform the development of a long-term sustainable funding model for the higher education and further education and training sectors.

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