Coughlan refuses to rule out any increase in student registration fees

JOINT OIREACHTAS COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION:MINISTER for Education, Mary Coughlanhas not ruled out an increase in the €1,500 student registration charge from 2011.

But she has still to form a view on the issue of new student tuition charges.

The Minister made her comments during a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education which discussed the huge financial challenges facing the higher education sector.

Several members including Ruairí Quinnof Labour and Brian Hayesof Fine Gael raised the recent report from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) which said colleges will need €4 billion over the next decade.

Ms Coughlan said she does not dispute this figure based on the latest projections predicting a 30 per cent increase in student numbers.

On student service charges, there were no plans for any increase this year but she could not “rule out or rule in” an increase after that. Student charges increased by 67 per cent last year.

Earlier this year, university heads acknowledged the student registration charge is being used to fund core services such as libraries, because of the cuts in funding.

Yesterday, Mr Hayes disclosed TCD has designated the registration charge in their accounts as a contribution towards core grant reductions.

The department and the HEA should be equally forthright and end the charade; the student registration charge was a fee by the back door, he said.

Ms Coughlan said the national strategy group on higher education, chaired by economist Dr Colin Hunt, will consider the significant future funding pressures on third-level colleges.

She said the level of exchequer dependence of the Irish system is high by international standards and must be progressively reduced. Colleges could generate new income through efficiency measures, new commercial activities, growth in international education activity and philanthropy.

But the question of a new form of student contribution or a graduate contribution will also need to be considered by the Hunt report, expected in July.

The Minister also pointed out that the return of student fees during this administration was ruled out in the revised programme for government.

Ms Coughlan said the higher education sector was achieving significant savings through the pooling of services.

In one case, a group of colleges will save €1.5 million on their electricity bills this year after coming together to tender for one supplier.

Through a similar initiative, universities and institutes of technology in the Dublin area have procured a 40 per cent reduction in electricity rates this year.

On other issues, the Minister also hinted that Hibernia College, the online teacher training college, may be asked to provide other services.

Committee chairman Paul Gogartysaid it was extraordinary that Hibernia was able to deliver teacher training at such a small cost to the State.

He also raised questions about the continued feasibility of some smaller teacher training colleges.