Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 July 2021
526. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount that has been allocated to fund the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2021-2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37651/21]
View answerThe current National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education covers the period from 2015 to 2021. The overall vision of the National Access Plan is to ensure that the student body entering into, participating in and completing higher education at all levels reflects the diversity and social mix of Ireland's population.
The National Access Plan (NAP) identifies the target groups that are currently under-represented in higher education. These include entrants from socio-economic groups that have low participation in higher education, Irish Travellers, students with disabilities, first time mature student entrants, part-time/flexible learners and further education award holders. Lone parents are also included in this grouping.
Work on the development of the next National Access Plan (NAP) is currently underway. A consultation paper was published in April, the details of which can be accessed at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/consultation/3ee28-consultation-on-the-next-national-plan-for-equity-of-access-to-higher-education-2022-2026/
The fifth annual Access Forum was held on the 23rd of April which afforded an opportunity for key stakeholders representing: students; schools and higher education institutions; access, disability and mature student officers; representatives of the National Access Plan targets groups; and representatives from relevant Government Departments and agencies, to input and shape the next plan. A student consolation event was also held in early May to garner the views of students about what’s working well and what the focus of the next NAP should be.
The public consultation process closed on 18th June 2021. The Higher Education Authority is currently examining the various submissions received. One-to-one meetings with key stakeholders is currently underway. My intention is to publish the new NAP before the end of 2021.
In terms of expenditure on supports for students, my Department is spending circa €450m annually. Some of these supports are targeted while others are available to the general student populace.
The main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme which is administered by SUSI and supports circa 75,000 each year. The Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities each support circa 14,000 students annually. There are currently three strands of the Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) programme which are targeting supports at the NAP target groups via supports for initial teacher education, a 1916 bursary scheme and a community engagement programme. Additional support is made available through the core funding of higher education institutions where funding is provided to put in place the necessary access infrastructure to support our target groups.
Apart from the student grant and dedicated access supports, the Deputy will be aware of the range of additional supports that were put in place for students as part of Budget 2021 and as part of the Government's COVID response last year. These included: additional supports for access measures in higher education; a mitigating educational disadvantage fund for further education and training; a student laptop scheme; a once off grant of €250 for students; additional funding for student mental health and wellbeing; and Dormant Accounts Funding for Traveller access to and progress within higher education.
All proposals made in relation to the next National Access Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education will be considered in the context of the development of the new plan, the Estimates process and the ongoing consultations with key stakeholders.
