UCC president seeks support for funding from graduates, staff and students ahead of Budget

UCC president Professor John O’Halloran has written to the university’s almost 250,000 graduates, students, and staff seeking their support as the third-level institution, along with seven others, appeals for a major increase in financial support for what he described as the “grossly underfunded” Irish higher education sector.

In his letter to the UCC community around the world, Prof O’Halloran said that he and the heads of the seven other members of the Irish Universities Association had written to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and four Government ministers to highlight the case of the sector.

The other ministers included in the letter were Higher Education Minister Simon Harris; Finance Minister Michael McGrath; Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney and Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe.

Prof O’Halloran’s letter pointed out that the Government knew the sector was underfunded and had identified a €307m shortfall in annual funding to higher education.

“The Government committed to addressing that shortfall in May 2022 when they published ‘Funding the Future’,” said Prof O’Halloran.

“They pledged to address the cost of education to students. “Progress is painfully slow.

“In last year’s budget, only €40m additional core funding was provided.

“Minister Harris declared in May 2022 that ‘the question of higher education funding is settled’, and whilst the extent of the funding shortfall may have been settled, the actions to address that shortfall are not.

“That action must include addressing both the cost of education for students and the deficit in core funding.”

The letter from the UCC president comes just before Budget 2024 which will be published on October 10.

“Another budget cannot be presented without delivering on the pledge to improve core funding,” Professor O’Halloran wrote in his email to the UCC alumni, present students, and staff.

“If you have an opportunity to highlight the case for funding and to push for Government action, please help us.”