Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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129. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to deal with concerns regarding third level student support and funding challenges for third level institutions. [24937/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Higher education is a central part of our plan as a Government to support a strong economy and deliver a fair society. The package of measures we announced for the sector in last year's Budget reflects this priority.

I secured an initial investment of €36.5 million in the sector in this year's Budget and €160 million overall over the next three years. This is the first significant investment in the sector in 9 years – a period in which State investment in higher education fell by 33% (€463 million). This will allow us for the first time to keep pace with demographic increases and also introduce targeted initiatives in priority areas, in particular disadvantage, skills, research and flexible learning, with thousands of students benefitting under each heading.

In addition, my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform are currently completing a public consultation process on a proposed Exchequer-Employer investment mechanism for higher education and further education and training. The proposal under consultation seeks to deliver up to an additional €200m per annum by 2020 through an increase in the National Training Fund levy. 

Meanwhile, to examine the proposals that can add to these two elements and put in place a sustainable system of funding that can deliver a world-class third level system for the medium and long term, in 2016 I published the Cassells report, and as committed to in the Programme for Government, that report is currently with the Oireachtas Committee.

This is an area where broad political consensus is needed on the future direction, and I will be working to build that consensus. The Funding Model review will compliment the ongoing work by the Oireachtas Committee in relation to the Cassells report.

In relation to student supports, my Department is investing in a significant programme of supports in order to assist students from under-represented groups to participate in and complete higher education.

In total my Department will invest approximately €450 million in access supports in the 2017/18 academic year. 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.