Budget 2017: Richard Bruton hints at higher third-level fees for students

Education Minister Richard Bruton has given the first strong signals of intentions to seek higher third-level student fees as he announced increased government spending and plans to secure more from employers.

The €36.5m extra being invested by the Department of Education in higher education in 2017 marks the first rise to the sector in several years and a further €70m will be added in 2018 and 2019. In a year, he hopes to have agreement with employer groups on some form of extra contribution to the running of the system by autumn 2018, subject to consultations to be undertaken by himself and Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe over the next seven months.

Additional funding from the State, from businesses, and from students were among various options set out by the recent report group chaired by Peter Cassells. The options in the report are to be considered by the all-party Oireachtas Education Committee in the next few months after which the minister hopes to get political consensus on a long-term model.