Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 November 2021
126. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps he is taking to ensure that people with disabilities and persons with low incomes can attend higher and further education. [58610/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraInclusion is one of the core strategic goals for my Department. My ambition is to ensure that we provide supports and opportunities for learning to all. This means recognising the needs of persons on low income and those with special and additional needs.
A range of supports and measures are in place for learners with low income and with disabilities; some of these supports are targeted while others are available to the general student population. The Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) supports participation by students with a disability in further and higher education. Around 14,000 students are supported annually under the fund. Earlier this year I approved a number of strategic projects under the Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) aimed at supporting students with disabilities to access and engage with higher education. The initiatives, which involve 23 higher education institutions (HEI) and €5.8m in expenditure, are broad and are aimed at improving access to higher education for people with a disability, to improving college campuses and to assist staff with training and development. Among the projects are a number of projects for students with autism including the establishment of autism friendly rooms across nine different campuses, the development of assistive technology including for students with disabilities, an app to help students with visual or hearing impairment navigate their way around campus and specialist assistance for students who are deaf.
It is important to state the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2015-2021 (NAP) set targets to increase participation in higher education by people with disabilities. Specific targets have been set to increase participation in higher education by students with physical or sensory disabilities. The original (8%) and revised target (12%) under the National Access Plan of new entrants to higher education with disabilities has now been exceeded, with 12.2% of new entrants to higher education in 2019/20 declaring a disability.
However, we acknowledge more needs to be done. Work on the development of the next National Access Plan (NAP) 2022 - 2026 is currently underway. One-to-one stakeholder meetings around the specific target groups to be supported for the period of the next NAP is almost concluded, with a number of meetings planned up to mid-December. Colleagues in my Department are working closely with the HEA on the development of the new Plan with the intention of publishing the plan in Q1 of 2022. An additional €5million has been set aside for this plan.
A key focus for me will be students with intellectual disabilities. Figures show in the further education and training sector where there were 2,821 learners with intellectual disabilities in 2019 and some provision in the higher education sector involving a comparatively small number of learners. However, I have asked my officials to engage with the HEA and SOLAS to see where we can play a stronger role, in meeting the educational needs of this group as part of a coherent whole of Government responses. We are at an early stage of work in this area, but it is an area I am strongly committed to pursuing.
My Department will continue to keep existing provision and initiatives under review. We want to develop a better understanding of what works best within the different models, and to look at how we can assist people to access and progress through higher and further education and training.
