Northern Ireland's Department of Economy asked to look at raising university tuition fees

Jordan Moates reports.

The Department of Economy has been asked to look at raising university fees as a way of raising revenue. 

Amid pressures on budgets, the department’s financial package for the next year is £130million lower than previously expected. 

Revenue raising measures isn't a new buzz word but it's one that has been thrown around quite a lot in the last few weeks as departments try to work out how they can operate with reduced budgets.

Student fees here are around £4,700 compared to £9,250 in England. 

The department has been asked to scope out what raising them would look like. 

If they were to match the level in England, the potential revenue raised could be around £100m.

However, the feeling is the desired level would be more of a halfway house at around £7,000 per year. 

If the decision was taken to go ahead with the fees increase it would be a longer term financial measure. 

It would need a decision by a Stormont minister and a change in legislation, or for the secretary of state to take that power. 

Stormont's departments have been considering a wide range of money-saving measures to try and balance the books with all facing huge deficits.

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