University presidents are to step up their campaign for the return of fees, as colleges struggle with what is being termed a "deepening financial crisis".
The campaign comes after new figures show that Irish universities require an additional €560 million per year in funding to compete on equal terms with the top performers in the OECD. Overall, universities say an investment of €1.7 billion is required to bring undergraduate facilities up to the highest international standards.
Last night, Ned Costello , chief executive of the group which represents the seven university presidents, said they were "concerned at the absence of an overall strategy for higher education and the very significant shortfall in available funding relative to the challenges facing the university sector".
Mr Costello, of the Irish Universities Association (IUA), said the "levels of funding to support undergraduate teaching and associated infrastructure are of particular concern".
It is understood the IUA is planning a series of meetings with several senior Ministers to spell out the financial crisis, including: Minister for Education Mary Hanafin; Minister for Finance Brian Cowen; and Minister for Enterprise and Employment Micheál Martin.
The campaign for new funding comes after colleges this week received their annual allocation from the State based on a new funding model.
The new funding method, known as the Resource Grant Allocation Model, tilts funding towards courses which meet overall Government economic and social objectives. The system, replacing one linking financing to overall student numbers, means the two largest universities in the State - UCD and Trinity - must cope with a reduced share of overall funding.
In recent months, Trinity provost Dr John Hegarty, UCC president Dr Michael Murphy, and president of the University of Limerick Dr Don Barry, have all called for the return of fees.
In the run-up to the election, Ms Hanafin said the return of college fees was off the agenda for the foreseeable future.
The programme for government makes no reference to increased day-to-day supports for the universities, although it does promise an additional €2 billion for capital projects. Later this week, Ms Hanafin will also announce details of the fresh round of allocations under the €180 billion Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions.
The seven university presidents, who have already voiced their concerns to the new Government, are preparing a detailed submission to the Government.
It is expected this will set out the severe financial crisis facing each university, make the case for the return of fees or a "top-up" loans scheme (where students repay the cost of third-level education on graduation) and outline the challenge facing the Republic if it wants to compete with the world's leading universities. The Republic spends an average of about €6,000 on each third-level student, only about one-third of the figure spent by the top OECD performers, the United States and Switzerland.
Figures released by the TCD provost, Dr John Hegarty earlier this month show the ratio of staff to students in universities in Edinburgh, Copenhagen and Zurich is twice that in comparable Irish universities.
