Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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232. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing the core funding to institutions by 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30%, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17804/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The total recurrent budget allocation for 2017 for the higher education institutions under the designation of the Higher Education Authority (HEA), which includes all of the Universities and Institutes of Technology, is €978.533 million. To increase that budget by 5% would cost the Exchequer an additional €48.927m; by 10% would cost an additional €97.853m; by 15% would cost an additional €146.78m; by 20% would cost an additional €195.707m; by 25% would cost an additional €244.633m and by 30% would cost an additional €293.56m.

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.