Written answers

Thursday, 20 May 2021

Department of Education and Skills

Education Policy

Photo of Cathal CroweCathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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303. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of progress of the Cassells report with input from the European Commission; when the report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26967/21]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Department's Statement of Strategy, which I published on 8 March last contains a commitment to put in place a sustainable funding model for the higher education. This is essential in ensuring that our higher education institutions can effectively meet high standards of quality and performance, and achieve critical outcomes for our economy and society.

A comprehensive economic evaluation of the funding options contained in the Cassells Review was commissioned by the European Commission and undertaken by independent expert consultants. This review is currently being finalised.

This review will provide a detailed analysis of the options presented in the expert group report, Investing in National Ambition: A Strategy for Funding Higher Education” (Cassell’s Report 2016). As the Deputy may be aware the Cassell’s Report confirmed that higher education makes a hugely positive contribution to the development of individuals, employers, society and the state. The report also concluded that the approach to funding was unsustainable, and that substantial increases in investment in higher education must be made to ensure that the sector can remain viable and provide the capacity to meet the major increase in student demand projected up to 2030. This is being carefully examined in the current DG Reform review.

Since the publication of the 2016 report my Department has been working hard to deliver a significant programme of re-investment in higher education. Currently, Government provides significant financial support to the higher education sector through direct recurrent grants, and indirectly through a number of measures including free fees, funded policy initiatives, Apprenticeships, Springboard, Human Capital Initiative and student grant fee supports. Funding and policy developments taken in recent Budgets have taken significant steps to address the funding needs of the sector resulting in annual additional investment of nearly €550m in 2020 (including covid provision).

Most notably, and in line with the recommendation of the Cassells report, a new stream of employer funding was introduced upon a review of the National Training Fund. This level of investment responded to demographic pressures and underpinned a range of initiatives in the higher education sector, including a new research initiative, a substantial investment in the evolution of Technological Universities, significant skills-enhancing opportunities for individuals, sectors and regions most vulnerable to Brexit as well as updating skills more generally to prepare Ireland’s society and economy for a future world of work transformed by technology and automation.

In 2021, exclusive of research provision the total planned Departmental and NTF current expenditure funding of the HE sector for 2021 is in the order of €1.98 billion.

I look forward to the completion of the funding review which will provide the basis for determining how best additional investment in higher education can meet future requirements, in particular in supporting access to higher education in terms of the totality of the costs of participation. This is an essential to meeting a core objective of my mission as Minister is that everyone regardless of their background, age, gender, or address achieves their best potential.

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