Provost Linda Doyle has again raised concerns regarding the government’s failure to provide a “strong funding model” to the higher education sector as Budget 2025 looms.
In a college-wide email issued yesterday, Doyle expressed her frustrations with the government for providing “incremental funding increases which have been cancelled out by inflation, underfunded pay awards and demographics”.
Doyle said that “the remarkable achievements” of Trinity’s students and staff conceal a “grim reality” within the higher education sector.
“We are working in a system that is simply unsustainable,” she said.
“We have to contend with staff to student ratios that are just not good enough. We work with ageing digital infrastructure. Most of our research equipment is close to end of life.”
She warned that universities are facing “the risk of a quiet and gradual decline” and that a real increase in funding is needed “urgently.”
“A thriving university system also plays a central role in the cultural, social, and economic progress of our country.”
“Universities, in their creative, freethinking mode, are a vital resource for the future,” she added, quoting President Michael D. Higgins.
A core funding deficit of €307 million per annum was identified by the government in May 2022 within the higher education sector. This saw Taoiseach Simon Harris, the then Minister for Further and Higher Education launch the “Funding the Future’” initiative to tackle the funding gap over successive Budgets.
A pre-budget submission published by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) in June revealed that in the two Budgets following the launch of “Funding the Future” only €100 million was awarded to the sector. Of this, €92 million has been “eroded by unfunded pay awards arising from national pay agreements” meaning the net gain in core funding the higher education sector stood at just €8 million as of June 2024.
Referencing the 2022 policy in her letter Doyle said how “Funding the Future” now needs to be matched “with political will in the forthcoming budget,” and that the upcoming budget “is this government’s final opportunity to deliver far-reaching, transformative change” across both higher education and Ireland.
She highlighted that work has already been done to accelerate funding for the sector through partnership with the IUA. Last year Doyle was among 15 university presidents and chairs of governing authorities who signed a letter by the IUA which demanded the government follow through with the allocation of the promised funding.
In her letter which was sent to students, staff and alumni, Doyle says that despite “face-to-face meetings” with key government officials having taken place, the voice of the members from within the college community still needs to be heard.
She urges members of the college community to contact public representatives citing how last year these efforts made a “significant impact”.
She concluded her statement by saying: “Trinity is a fantastic community of over 22,000 students, 4,000 staff and 140,000 alumni – together, we must continue to raise our voices for higher education in Ireland.”
Budget 2025 is set to be published on October 1.
