Irish Universities Association asks government to address funding deficit with €190m increase per year

The Irish Universities Association (IUA) calls for "adequate funding" to guarantee "universities' central contribution to Ireland’s economic success and democratic resilience".

The association published a statement on 20/09/2026, ahead of the 2027 budget discussions, asking the government to address a funding deficit of €250 million a year with an increase in annual core funding of €190m a year over the next two years.

"In 2022, the government accepted that the higher education sector was underfunded by €307m a year. Budget decisions since then have nominally reduced the original gap by more than half," the organisation said.

However, the IUA pointed out that inflation and rising costs related to a growing student population were widening the gap. The association reported 10,000 additional students taken in by its seven universities between 2022 and 2024, a 7% uplift in two years. It concluded that 9,000 students were currently unfunded in the system.

"State funding per student, at around €8,000 a year, is 30% less in real terms than it was in 2008, while the student population is…