Higher education has expanded considerably in Ireland since the 1960's. The funding of this growing system of higher education is the subject of this study. The term 'free education' has been widely used in Ireland. Education is not free, somebody pays for it. The questions of who should pay for higher education and who does pay for higher education are addressed.
The historical method is employed to illustrate how the Irish system has evolved into a trisectoral model with three chief sources of funding. These chief sources are the government, the European Social Fund as well as students and their families. Changing levels of funding from each source together with the availability of funds from each source to each level within the trisectoral model are considered.
The areas of supply and demand are analyzed through the factors which have strongly influenced these variables. The supply of higher education has been influenced by the ability of the chief funding agent, the government, to fund the system. Economic variables are discussed in relation to their relevance to the provision of government funding for higher education. Demographic statistics highlight changes in the demand for higher education. Evidence that these economic and demographic variables have been and continue to be diametrically opposed, in relation to a positive funding situation, is set forth.
