Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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1714. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on the Funding Our Future policy, published by Government in May, 2022; the current estimate for the shortfall in core funding for the higher education sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1479/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The Funding the Future Framework published in May 2022, outlines the vision for how higher education will be funded and how this will support students, employers and wider society. The Framework identified an amount of €307 million as representing the quantum of increase in core funding required to deliver enhanced performance, strategic reforms and strengthened quality of outcomes.

The Funding the Future framework envisioned that the cost of meeting the €307m figure would be met over a number of budgets from a combination of contributions from the exchequer, employers and students. The Government has ruled out further increases to the student contributions paid by students therefore, the funding gap will be met by a combination of exchequer and employer contributions.

Over the three budgets since the publication of Funding the Future, an additional €164.4m has been secured in exchequer and employer funding with a commitment to deliver a further €100 million by 2030 from the National Training Fund (NTF). The €164.4m figure includes €58.7m that was secured in Budget 2025 for Funding the Future.

The €58.7m in additional core funding secured in Budget 2025 will create space for higher education institutions to increase staffing levels and capacity, enable a greater alignment of provision with priority skills needs and facilitate the further development of tertiary programmes.

It is anticipated that further additional exchequer funding will be secured in future estimates processes to deliver on commitments, including on priorities such as healthcare places and tertiary programmes.