Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2021
1064. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of students who accessed the fund for students with disabilities over the past three years by educational institution; the average amount provided to each student; the estimated cost of increasing the fund by 5%, 10% and 25% respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31534/21]
View answerThe Fund for Students with Disabilities provides funding to further and higher education institutions in Ireland to assist them in offering supports and services to eligible students with disabilities so they can participate on an equal basis with their peers.
The attached spreadsheet provides the numbers of students supported under the Fund in participating Irish Higher Education Institutions over the past three years, as reported by the institutions. The spreadsheet also includes the average amounts spent on supports per student using monies provided under the Fund.
In relation to Further Education, collated statistics would not have the same level of detail as what is available for HEIs and therefore the detailed information requested by the Deputy is only available for the Higher Education sector. The FSD has been managed by the Higher Education Authority on behalf of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science since 2003. I wish to point out that the administration of the Fund for the further education sector transferred to SOLAS in 2020.
In relation to the estimated cost of increasing the fund by 5%, 10% and 25%: the overall amount available for the FSD is €9,600,000, out of which €7,658,000 is designated for Irish Higher Education Institutions and €1,942,000 is designated for the Further Education sector. The cost of increasing the fund by 5%, 10% and 25% would be €480,000, €960,000 and €2,400,000, respectively.
