Higher education funding to be cut by 2pc

Ireland’s education Budget is to be decreased by €132m in 2012, as part of a series of public expenditure cuts announced today by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin in the first of a two-part Budget announcement.

The measures were part of what has been described as one of the hardest Budgets ever delivered in the State, which prompted Taoiseach Enda Kenny to interrupt an installment of Vincent Browne to deliver a rare state of the nation address warning of the severity of the Budget that will be continued tomorrow.

The measures targeting third level funding will be accompanied by a series of expenditure reform measures targeting third level students.

Fees will be increased by €2,250 – a €250 increase on their current levels – while 3pc will be taken away from the annual maintenance grant, a key student support mechanism.

Disadvantaged schemes will be gradually phased out – accruing savings of €6.5m for the Government – while a reduction in capitation grants to schools will scratch €7m off the Exchequer’s expenditure figures.

By DONAL MACHENRY

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