Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 October 2022
172. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his actions to increase the number of disability support staff in further and higher education institutions to reflect the increase in the number of disabled students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52066/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra173. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the ratio of disability support staff to disabled students in further and higher education institutions from 2016/2017 academic year to the 2020/2021 academic year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52067/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 172 and 173 together.
The provision of disability supports and services for students, and the organisation, staffing and management of the disability support services, is a matter for each HEI.
The Higher Education Authority have informed my officials that information on staffing levels of disability support services in HEIs is not collected. There are also difficulties in carrying out a HEI-by-HEI or year-by-year comparison e.g. varying student needs depending on the nature of the disability or support, configuration of disability support and other services in HEIs, HEIs being at different stages in relation to the development of Universal Design principles and practices.
As part of their core grant funding which is allocated on a block grant basis from the HEA to publicly funded HEIs, HEIs are expected to put in place an access infrastructure to support equity of access for underrepresented groups, including students with disabilities.
Further Education and Training (FET) does not have disability or access offices. However, Fostering Inclusion is one of the three core pillars around which the FET Strategy 2020-2024 is built. The FET sector is committed to increasing levels of inclusion through the provision of high quality, more accessible and flexible education and training programmes and supports suited to the identified needs of individuals, including persons with a disability, with the aim of enabling every citizen to participate fully in society. Disability supports are available to participants on FET programmes depending on the specific circumstances.
Funding for these programmes are dispersed under general individual programme and learner support headings. Within the FET sector, a broad range of supports are provided through the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) to support the participation of all learners, including those with disabilities. FET offers a full suite of programmes and these are on offer to all who wish to participate regardless of disability.
In addition to add on disability supports, the FET Strategy 2020 – 2024 is moving towards a Universal Design approach, whereby disability supports are integrated into mainstream provision insofar as is possible, with specialised supports reserved for people with needs that cannot be met through mainstream provision.
This approach is also consistent with Irish Government policy, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the agenda of National Disability Authority, which established The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design in 2007 under the Disability Act 2005. This approach recognises that every individual learns differently, has different interests, aptitudes and levels of ability, whether or not they have what might be defined as a special educational need. It aims to optimise learning for all by accommodating the diverse educational needs of all learners within mainstream provision.
Individualised supports, for addressing more specific needs among a smaller subset of learners will, of course, be maintained and promoted. The annual funding arrangements between SOLAS and Education and Training Boards (ETBs) requests ETBs to provide the necessary individualised and mainstreamed supports to all learners, to reduce barriers to full participation and meet the requirements of the various inclusion strategies such as the National Disability Strategy and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy, thereby ensuring success for all learners.
