Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 October 2021
338. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will request the Central Applications Office to review the graphical user interface of its application system to ensure it is compliant with the Disability Act 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48972/21]
View answerThe CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on the behalf of Higher Education Institutions. Decisions on admissions are made by the HEIs, in line with their institutional autonomy, who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. Neither I nor my Department have a role in the operation of the CAO, and it is not within my remit to influence their operation.
If the CAO are failing to comply with Sections 25, 26, 27, 28 or 29 of the Disability Act 2005, the affected party may make a complaint in writing by themselves or through a person referred to in Section 9(2) of the Act. If this process is not successful, then the CAO falls under the remit of the Office of the Ombudsman and as such the Ombudsman may examine complaints from members of the public who believe that they have been unfairly treated by certain prescribed bodies. If a member of the public feels that the CAO are failing to comply with the accessibility provisions of the Act, then under Section 40 it is open to them to contact the Office of the Ombudsman if a direct complaint has not been resolved to their satisfaction. The Ombudsman provides an impartial, independent and free dispute resolution service.
The contact details for the Ombudsman are as follows:
Office of the Ombudsman
Address: 18 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2, D02 HE97
Phone: +353 1 639 5600
Email: info@ombudsman.ie
