The Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) has expressed disappointment at the absence of any specific direct funding initiatives to support third-level education in this year’s Budget.

Joan Donegan, General Secretary of IFUT, said that “it is especially disappointing that, despite Minister Donohoe’s Budget statement that ‘education at all levels is the bedrock of our society’, there was no announcement of specific funds to tackle the serious deterioration in staffing levels and improve academic staff to student ratios, similar to announcements for other sectors of education.

“We await clarification on how additional funds targeted for delivery through the National  Training Fund and PPP interventions will be delivered and we look forward to engaging with the Department of Education on these issues in the months ahead,” Joan Donegan said.

ENDS

For further information on this media release, please contact:

John Gallagher, John Gallagher Consulting. Tel. 087 9369888

Joan Donegan, General Secretary, IFUT, Tel 087 1315960