Vol. 560 No. 1
436 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the delays and cutbacks in support services for students with disabilities at third level; if such students will get the supports they need in time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1693/03]
The fund for students with disabilities, which is ESF-aided, is administered by my Department and provides funding to students with disabilities attending courses in third level institutions and in post-leaving certificate centres. The purpose of the fund is to provide students with serious physical and-or sensory disabilities with grant assistance towards the cost of special equipment, special materials and technological aids, targeted transport services, personal assistants and sign language interpreters. The fund operates on a discretionary basis. Applications for assistance are made in October of each year by the individual students through their third level institution or post-leaving certificate centre. The allocations are paid to the relevant institutions in respect of the particular students.
Decisions on applications are taken by an ad hoc advisory group which, in 2002, consisted of representatives of the Department – from the sections dealing with administration and inspectorate, the latter a retired officer – a representative from the Association for Higher Education Access and Disability and a representative of the Higher Education Authority. There have been no cutbacks in the services referred to by the Deputy; funding has increased from €1.565 million in 2000 to €3.682 million in 2002 and the number of students benefiting has increased from 511 to 1,132. Following the issue of awards, my Department received representations and appeals which related, in particular, to applicants who had, unsuccessfully, requested the services of a note-taker. In view of those appeals, officials from my Department who were not members of the original advisory group conducted a review of all those applications where a note-taker was applied for, but not granted. Following completion of this review, an additional 52 applicants are being awarded funds in respect of note-takers, including the student referred to by the Deputy. The outcome of the review is being communicated to the disability officers, who will then inform the successful applicants.
