1510. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the measures being taken by his Department to address the funding shortfall facing higher education institutions; the impact this shortfall is having on continuing and adult education programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65479/26]

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.

Over a number of years, additional core funding is being prioritised through the Estimates process to deliver on the increased level of funding identified in the framework and to improve system capacity to respond to national priorities.

Since the publication of Funding the Future, an additional €174 million 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). It is anticipated that further additional exchequer funding will be secured in future estimates to deliver on commitments, including on priorities such as healthcare places and tertiary programmes.

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous bodies responsible for their own academic affairs, including the development of relevant curriculum and course provision. As such, my Department does not keep records of specific types of courses offered in the continuing and adult education programmes and cannot provide the Deputy with the responses required. However, my Department funds several initiatives aimed at supporting upskilling and lifelong learning. For example, the Springboard+ programme enables course participation at either no fee or a substantially reduced fee (depending on certain criteria being met) with a current level of 244 course and 179 micro credentials available to participants. Likewise, the National Tertiary Office have arranged the provision of further education access to third level degrees thus opening the channels of participation to third level.

As the Deputy will appreciate, decisions on budget allocations will be made in the context of Government decision-making on the fiscal and expenditure framework for 2027 and beyond. While I cannot confirm specific items that will be included in the upcoming Budget or the subsequent supplementary estimates process, I can nevertheless assure the Deputy that I will continue to argue for further enhancements to the sustainable funding of higher education in the forthcoming Estimates process.