Joe Walsh
Question:59 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Education the steps, if any, she is taking to ensure equal access to third-level education for children from families affected by socio-economic deprivation. [3038/96]
Written Answers. - Equal Access Proposals.
The free fees initiative and the third-level student support schemes facilitate students with limited means who wish to progress to third-level.
It is recognised, however, that ensuring greater access to third-level by students from disadvantaged backgrounds is not solely a matter of costs at third-level. Fuller participation in third-level depends on ensuring retention of students in full-time education up to the age of 18. To achieve this I have taken a range of initiatives. These include: targeting of resources at first and second-level on disadvantaged areas; the provision of educational support services for first and second-level students including psychological and guidance services, career guidance and remedial teachers; the continuing development of the home-school links programme; a major restructuring of the senior cycle curricula to adapt them to the needs of the wider spread of ability levels and backgrounds proceeding to senior cycle and the introduction of alternative pathways for students to progress to post-second-level education and training.
I have also supported the development of links between disadvantaged schools and third-level institutions. These links are in line with the commitment in the White Paper which indicates that, "Each third-level institution will be encouraged to develop links with designated second-level schools, building on existing practice".