Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 September 2023
606. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline the plans he has in improving pay and conditions for personal assistants working in further education settings and to provide an update on the development of the FE disability framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41028/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraWithin the FET Sector, the Fund for Students with a Disability (FSD) is currently available to students pursuing PLC courses. The recently published the 2023 Annual Options Paper on the cost of higher education includes an option to extend the FSD across the Further Education and Training Sector. A costing of €5m has been estimated for this proposal which would be complemented by the current roll out of universal design learning principles and practice across FET.
Any potential pay increase for Personal Assistants will be considered as part of the resources available for the roll out of the FSD across all of FET provision. As the Deputy will appreciate the estimates process is ongoing and I cannot at this point pre-empt the outcome of the budgetary process.
There are no immediate plans in place to develop a Further Education Disability Framework, however SOLAS has advised my Department that it is carrying out an internal review of learner supports and associated guidelines and my Department has requested SOLAS to examine the provision of personal assistant services under the FSD as part of its review.
