O’Keeffe ‘cannot understand’ lack of funding

EDUCATION Minister Batt O’Keeffe said he “cannot understand” how universities claim they are starved for cash given their increase in funding in recent years.

Mr O’Keeffe said he is not satisfied that the Government is getting value for money from the third-level sector, indicating that too much funding goes on research and development rather than teaching students. He said he will carry out an audit to ensure money is used properly.

He was speaking at the Fianna Fáil annual think-in yesterday where he met a number of students who had gathered outside the conference in the Clayton Hotel in Galway to protest over proposals to re-introduce college fees.

Mr O’Keeffe assured students that fees would not be introduced immediately and if they were introduced in the future the income thresholds for those who had to pay would be “at a high level” of around €120,000.

A review is under way by the Department of Education into the funding of universities and Mr O’Keeffe said a new body would be put in place to implement a national strategy for third level.

“We’re looking at all aspects of fees. We’re looking at loans, we’re looking at other mechanisms for supporting third level and I’ll bring that report when it’s finalised to cabinet and it’s a matter for government then,” he said.

“We have increased the funding to third-level by one third over the last three years, yet on coming into office the presidents of the various universities have indicated that they are starved for cash. I can’t understand that,” said the minister.

“I have seen the experience with the HSE where we been accused of throwing more money after bad money,” he said.

The minister said separate audits would be carried out by his department and by the Comptroller and Auditor General to establish if money given to universities is well spent.