Written Answers. - Access to Education.
Enda Kenny
Question:
1290
Mr. Kenny
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
the membership of the committee dealing with access to third level education; the role and remit of the committee; and the way in which its work will be reflective of each area of the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[2314/01]
I will circulate for the Deputy's attention details of the membership of the action group on access to third level education together with its terms of reference.
The main remit of the group was to advise on the barriers to participation by disadvantaged students in higher education, with particular regard to the commitment by this Government to provide £95 million, under the national development plan, to tackle under-representation by students in three disadvantaged groups, namely: students with disabilities; students from disadvantaged backgrounds; and mature second chance students.
The group consists of 22 members, including the chairman and secretary. Four of the members were nominated by the social partners who are party to the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. Six of the members were nominated by the relevant educational bodies or institutions. The remaining members consisted of officers from my Department, school principals and representatives drawn from relevant interest groups.
I understand that the action group has now completed its deliberations and I expect to receive its report in the near future.
The action group on access to third level education was established under Framework IV of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness to advise the Minister for Education and Science on the development of a co-ordinated framework to promote access by mature and disadvantaged students and students with disabilities to third level education, building on the experience of current initiatives, and to make findings and recommendations accordingly.
The group will provide a report within three months of commencing its work, advising the Minister on the specific interventions which would be most effective in making further progress in achieving these objectives.
The group will make recommendations in relation to the barriers to participation by mature students in higher education.
The group will have specific regard to the objectives in this area as set out in the National Development Plan – in particular, at paragraphs 5.56 and 5.57 – and in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness – in particular, at Framework IV, post-second level participation, including by mature students. The group will also have regard to the recommendations in this area made by the commission on the points system.
The action group will considerinter alia the identification and tracking of the target groups, namely, students with disabilities, students from disadvantaged backgrounds and mature “second chance” students; the role of the third level institutions and the integration of access into the mainstream of all colleges' operations and objectives; the desirability or otherwise of appointing a national access officer and the possible location of such an officer; advising on the development of targeted interventions and actions; reporting systems, including target setting, performance indicators and evaluation.
Membership of the Action Group on Access to Third Level Education is as set out below: Chairman, Dr. Cormac MacNamara, GP and former President of the European Association of General Practitioners; Secretary, Ms Therese Conlon, Student Support/Third Level Access, Department of Education and Science; Professor Pat Clancy, University College Dublin, advised the group; Members, Mr Dermot Killen, personnel and training director, Smurfit Group (Employers); Mr Peter MacMenamin, Deputy General Secretary, TUI – Trade unions; Mr Martin Whelan, Macra na Feirme (Farmers); Mr. Dónall Geoghegan, programme manager, National Youth Council of Ireland – community and voluntary sector; Dr. Tommy Cooke, community education links co-ordinator, Dublin Institute of Technology; Ms Maeve O'Byrne, access officer, Dublin City University; [Ms Anne Ryan, access officer, NUI Maynooth, attended a number of the meetings in place of Ms Byrne]; Mr Edwin Mernagh, education co-ordinator, Northside Partnership; Professor P J Drudy, Department of Economics, Trinity College Dublin – Conference of Heads of Irish Universities; Mr Brendan Goggin, Registrar, Cork Institute of Technology – Council of Directors of Institutes of Technology; Mr Seán Ó Foghlú, head of policy and planning, Higher Education Authority; Mr Victor Black, Principal, Blakestown Community School; Mr Michael Challoner, Principal, Inchicore College of Further Education; Ms Caroline McGrath, Executive Director, Association for Higher Education Access and Disability; Ms Berni Brady, Director, AONTAS (the national association of adult education); Mr Colm Jordan, education officer, Union of Students in Ireland; Mr Brian Monaghan, community worker; Mr Anton Carroll, Principal, Greendale Community School; Mr Brian Owens, business person; Mr Aidan O'Connor, Department of Education and Science; Ms Patricia O'Connor, Department of Education and Science.
