Universities' funding 'not sustainable'
Colleges could refuse to accept new students unless third-level fees are reintroduced, a leading academic warned today.
Outgoing president of Dublin City University Ferdinand von Prondzynski has said there may be ramifications for students if fees are not reintroduced.
Tánaiste and Education Minister Mary Coughlan confirmed earlier this week that the issue of third-level fees is not on the agenda during the lifetime of the current government.
However third-level institutions say their budgets have been cut by 30% and the issue should be revisited.
"We have to be realistic about this," Professor von Prondzynski said.
"It's not just staff salaries that are involved, (it's about) maintaining buildings, acquiring libraries and books, subscriptions to periodicals…
"If we are being put in a position where the funding for that is going down dramatically but we are also being told that we have got to take in more students - that is not sustainable.
"Universities may well have to conclude that they can't take in additional students."
