Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Oct 1999

Vol. 508 No. 3

Written Answers - Educational Disadvantage.

Joe Higgins

Ceist:

373 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress, if any, made in the utilisation of the £57 million fund being made available to tackle educational disadvantage at all levels, in particular the provision to be made for a fund of £3 million to be used to promote access to third level among students from disadvantaged backgrounds in view of the continuing under representation of disadvantaged groups in higher education; and the funding which has or is being made available to the institutes of technology for this purpose in respect of school leavers and mature students in view of the fact these colleges fall outside the remit of the Higher Education Authority which had dedicated funding for university access programmes. [18797/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin):

In December 1998 I announced a £57 million two year funding initiative to tackle education disadvantage at all levels. Considerable progress has been made in implementing the measures announced.

At primary level the following measures have benefited from the initiative: the home school community liaison scheme has been extended to all schools designated as disadvantaged; the remedial teaching service has been extended to all primary schools – there are now 1,465 posts in place; a resource teaching service is now available to all special needs children with assessed levels of disability; in advance of the White Paper on early education, the provision of early education for children with disabilities has commenced; funding for the provision of escorts and safety harnesses for all children with disabilities travelling on special school and special class transport services has issued.

At second level, provision has been made for 225 additional teaching posts and this is being implemented.

In the third level sector, within the overall disadvantage fund of £57 million £6.9 million was provided to tackle educational disadvantage. Of this amount £2.4 million is being used to extend the maintenance grants scheme so that all independent mature students will qualify for the higher non-adjacent rate of grant from the current academic year. A further £3 million is being specifically allocated to promote access to third level among students from disadvantaged backgrounds, including people with disabilities. My Department has had discussions with the access officers of the colleges, the Union of Students in Ireland, the Higher Education Authority and other interested bodies in relation to this funding, and I hope to be in a position to finalise the arrangements in the near future.

As part of the third level package, a further £1.5 million is being provided over two years to address the issue of non-completion of courses in important parts of the third level system. The Department is currently engaged in discussions with institutes of technology with regard to the measures for which this funding will be used.

In addition, in agreeing to an increase in the student services charge for this year it has been indicated to institutes of technology that £8 of this charge is to be specifically devoted to attrition/access initiatives in the institutes. The institutes have been requested to furnish the proposals for the attrition/access initiatives in this context at an early date.