Ministers to discuss delayed report on third-level funding next month

The report sets out three options for the future funding of the higher education sector, but Simon Harris has already indicated a student loan scheme is out of the question. Picture: Paul Sharp

Higher Education Minister Simon Harris said a long-delayed report on the funding of the third-level sector will be brought to a Cabinet subcommittee next month.

An update from the European Commission on the Cassells report, which identified the need for an extra €600m a year by 2021, whether from public funds, student fees, or a mix of both, has been received, Mr Harris said, with plans due to go to a Cabinet subcommittee chaired by Taoiseach Micheál Martin next month. 

The report sets out three options for the future funding of the higher education sector, but Mr Harris has already indicated a student loan scheme is out of the question.

"I'm bringing the report on the future funding of higher education to the Cabinet committee chaired by the Taoiseach in December," he told The Irish Examiner.

"We'll decide what course of action to take at that meeting. I don't intend to be another minister who publishes another report about funding. What I intend to be is a minister who publishes reports when he's reached an agreement across Government as to how we're going to address it.

"Sometimes, people suggest that the publication of the report is holding up funding to third-level. It's often not remarked that we're providing the greatest level of funding to third-level education this year than ever before.

I'm absolutely committed and one of the reasons that the Taoiseach established this department was that we settle the question, how do we sustainably fund third level."

Mr Harris said the feedback from the European Commission has been received by his department. The Directorate General for Structural Reform in the commission had been carrying out an economic analysis of the options put forward after the report was referred to by the Department of Education in 2019.

Call for in-person exams to be reconsidered

Meanwhile, an open letter to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and Simon Harris has called for the decision to hold in-person exams to be reconsidered.

Many colleges are currently preparing for some in-person exams, in line with current public health guidelines.

Penned by two Trinity College students, László Molnárfi and Gisèle Scanlon, the letter said the sudden return to in-person exams would be "catastrophic" for the mental health of students after one and a half years of remote learning.

"Our fellow students right across Ireland won’t have a booster jab by exam time," it said. "Community transmission is extremely high and it is critical that we continue to put safety first and do all that we can do to protect our loved ones coming up to the holidays while the vaccine rollout continues."

A spokesperson for Mr Harris said education facilities were likely to remain open.

"The Government has agreed education is an essential service and should continue. On Friday, Mr Harris met with management, staff and student representatives and the issue of examinations was discussed.

"Management bodies confirmed they are actively looking at a range of approaches to ensure that end-of-term examinations will be safe and that the requirements of students who may have Covid 19 or underlying health conditions can be addressed."