Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2026
1043. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of students accessing Arts courses over the past five years, in tabular form; and the funding which has been provided for these courses in each of the institutions in the same time period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45300/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is important to note at the outset that the term “Arts” may be interpreted in different ways in the context of higher education.
For statistical and reporting purposes, student enrolments are classified in line with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED), developed by UNESCO. Within this system, “Arts” is reflected in ISCED broad field 02: Arts and Humanities, which includes disciplines such as languages, literature, history, philosophy, media production and the creative arts. By contrast, Social Sciences are classified separately under ISCED broad field 03 and include disciplines such as economics, politics, journalism and psychology.
In the Irish context, the term “Arts” is often used to describe a range of undergraduate programmes, including Bachelor of Arts degrees. However, as programme structures and titles vary across institutions, ISCED classifications provide the most consistent basis for reporting student data.
Accordingly, the table below sets out the number of new entrants to programmes in ISCED broad field 02 (Arts and Humanities) for the most recent five years for which data is available. New entrants are defined as full-time, first-year undergraduate students entering higher education for the first time. These statistics are drawn from the Higher Education Authority’s student record system and relate only to institutions within the HEA’s remit.
ISCED 02: Arts and Humanities
|
|
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
2023/24 |
2024/25 |
|
New Entrants |
8,620 |
8,395 |
8,330 |
8,170 |
7,960 |
Higher education institutions have autonomy in decision-making in relation to their academic affairs, including their course portfolio, programme design and student numbers. Institutions are funded from a range of sources, including Exchequer funding, tuition fees and other income streams, which collectively support their overall activities.
State funding is provided primarily through a recurrent block grant allocated by the Higher Education Authority under the Recurrent Grant Allocation Model (RGAM). This funding is not ring-fenced by discipline or programme.
As institutions determine their own internal allocation of resources, and as there is no requirement to report expenditure at programme or discipline level, it is not possible to identify or attribute specific amounts of funding to Arts courses, either at sectoral or institutional level.
It is important to note that trends in student enrolment in particular disciplines and programmes largely reflect changes in student demand and preferences, and are not determined by funding levels.
