The Union of Students in Ireland (USI), Irish Universities Association (IUA), Technological Higher Education Association (THEA), Royal Irish Academy (RIA) and the British Irish Chamber of Commerce have made a joint call on all political parties to prioritize investment in higher education and research.
The group issued this call ahead of elections, with Irish higher education facing significant challenges. Ireland’s student-staff ratios are among the worst at 23:1, in comparison to a European norm of 15:1.
“Investing in higher education is absolutely critical for the future of the country. We must fund higher education and research for our young people and for our future economic and societal health. Both domestic and multi-national companies cite the sustainability of educated, high-skills talent as crucial to Ireland’s competitiveness. We are at risk of falling behind our key competitors across the globe if the investment, pledged by government under Funding the Future, is not delivered” , the group stated in their joint release.
Ireland saw significant cuts to higher education funding after the 2008 financial crisis, never returning to the pre-crisis peak of €1.85 billion. This funding gap has resulted in fewer resources and larger class sizes, which negatively impacts the quality of higher education. It also impacts the amount of financial support available to students.
Funding the Future identified a €307 million annual shortfall in core funding needed in higher education, as well as additional costs to support students and for national pay awards. However, only €105.7 million has been allocated this year, covering just over one-third of that shortfall.
Launched in 2022, Funding the Future aims to increase funding for institutions, reduce education costs and explore measures to alleviate financial burden for students, including adjustments to the Student Grant Scheme.
The maintenance grant portion helps students with their living costs, while the fee grant can pay tuition fees for students who do not qualify for the Free Fees Scheme or cover the Student Contribution and the cost of essential field trips.
The 2023 Irish Survey of Student Experience found that 8.5% of first-year undergraduate students, 9.5% of final-year undergraduate students and 10.4% of postgraduate students seriously considered withdrawing from their degree programme for financial reasons.
Additionally, the ongoing housing crisis exacerbates student difficulties. A housing survey conducted by the Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) in 2023 found that 632 of 857 respondents reported paying rent. Almost two-thirds of these students reported financial difficulties due to the cost of their rent. Just under half of these students work to help them to pay rent, with 71.86% reporting that it negatively impacts their education.
“It is essential that the next government, whatever its make-up, makes the necessary investment to both support the cost of higher education for students and the necessary funds for universities to deliver a quality, internationally competitive education” , the five groups wrote in the release. “Our students and young people are the renewable resource for Ireland’s future. Government has identified what’s needed, and this now needs to be delivered.”
