Vol. 523 No. 5
141 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science the current level of support available to students with disabilities to enable them to participate fully in third level education; the procedure for accessing these supports; and the total number of students who are availing of this scheme in 2000. [21477/00]
In addition to the financial assistance available under the maintenance grant schemes for further and higher education, students with disabilities attending courses in third level colleges and post-leaving certificate centres, may apply for assistance from the special fund for students with disabilities, which is administered by my Department. The purpose of the fund is to provide grant assistance to students with serious physical and/or sensory disabilities towards the cost of special equipment, special materials and technological aids, targeted transport services, personal assistants and sign language interpreters.
Application forms and information notes for support under the 2000 fund (covering the 2000-01 academic year) were issued to the third level institutions and to the vocational education committees in respect of post leaving certificate centres on 20 September. The disability student services officer in the third level institutions, and the principal in the case of post-leaving certificate centres are asked to distribute application forms/notes to all students with disabilities in their college/school. Completed application forms for the 2000 fund are due for return to my Department on or before 20 October.
As in previous years, a committee will assess each individual application and make awards accordingly. In 1999 the committee comprised officials from my Department, a representative from the Association for Higher Education Access and Disability, and a representative from the Higher Education Authority.
The level of funding allocated to the special fund in 1994, its year of establishment, was £80,000. In 1999 the allocation was increased to £700,000 and I recently announced an increase in the provision for this year to £1 million.
In 1999 funding was allocated to a total of 314 individual applicants and two group transport schemes. In view of the timing factors outlined above, it is not possible at this stage to say how many students will avail of the scheme in 2000.
In addition to the fund for students with disabilities, most third level colleges have developed initiatives to promote equality of opportunity, including access for students with disabilities, through targeted funding provided to the universities by the Higher Education Authority and funding from within the overall financial allocations to the institutes of technology. The 1999 allocation for Higher Education Authority funded targeted initiatives in the university sector, relating to students with disabilities was £539,000.
