Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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231. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of reducing the academic staff to student ratio at third level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17803/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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In the 2014/15 academic year, there were just over 18,000 core staff across the higher education system (whole-time equivalents. This figure encompasses some 9,800 academic staff and 8,300 non-academic staff. These figures do not include contract research staff. There were just over 190,000 students (whole-time equivalents) enrolled in 2014/15 giving an average academic staff:student ratio across the higher education system of 1:19. The estimated cost of reducing the staff:student ratio by 1 is €61 million.

As the Deputy will be aware the report of the Expert Group on the Future Funding of Higher Education is currently being examined by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Skills with a view to making recommendations on a long-term sustainable funding model for higher education. 

I have taken immediate steps to increase funding for higher education, the first such increase in nine years. Increased Exchequer funding of €36.5 million was secured in this budget for the higher education sector.

In addition, the Department of Education and Skills 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 €200 million revenue in 2020. Comments on the proposal may be submitted to the Department by 5 p.m. on Thursday, 13 April. 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.