The millennium partnership fund for disadvantage is one of a number of access measures recommended in the 2001 report of the action group on access to third level education.
The action group report recommended an allocation of €1.27 million each year for the millennium partnership fund for the duration of the national development programme to 2006. This recommendation was implemented when the fund was introduced with effect from the 2001-02 academic year. However, for the 2002-03 academic year, I significantly increased the allocation to €2 million. The provision of €2 million will continue to be made in respect of the millennium partnership fund for 2003.