Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 September 2023
618. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline the work that his Department is doing with Government and the FHE sector to get more students with socio-economic difficulties into FE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41333/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra619. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline the work that his Department is doing with Government and the FHE sector to get more students with disabilities into FE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41334/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 618 and 619 together.
The Deputy's office has clarified that the questions relate to Further and Higher Education.
Inclusion is one of the core strategic goals for the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. A key ambition is to ensure that supports and opportunities are provided for learning to all. I want the tertiary education system to develop and grow its supports for vulnerable learners, autistic students, learners with disabilities, under-represented groups and the most marginalised.
The National Access Plan, a Strategic Action Plan for Equity of Access, Participation and Success 2022-2028 was developed in the context of Programme for Government (PfG) commitments and other social inclusion policy measures. The plan aligns with and builds on the wider ambitions of the PfG by providing accessible, affordable education to all citizens.
The Plan has identified a number of priority-groups who continue to be under represented in higher education and who need additional focus and support.
These are:
• Students who are socio-economically disadvantaged
• Students who are members of Irish Traveller and Roma communities
• Students with disabilities including intellectual disabilities.
In addition to existing PATH 1 Initial Teacher Education initiatives and PATH2 -1916 bursaries, targeted at socio economic disadvantaged groups, Budget 2022 provided an additional dedicated investment of €35 million. (€5 million over 7 years) to support the objectives of the National Access Plan. Part of this funding has been allocated to a new PATH initiative - PATH 4 aimed as students with disabilities including intellectual disabilities.
PATH 4 Phase 1 was launched in 2022 with objectives of supporting the embedding of Universal Design (UD) approaches and inclusive practices in HEIs to benefit all students and in particular autistic students and enable the building of capacity in HEIs for greater participation by students with intellectual disabilities in higher education. 19 HEIs received a total of €3 million in Phase 1 to support these objectives.
PATH 4 Phase 2 involves a competitive call for proposals to Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s) for additional course provision in Higher Education for Students with Intellectual Disabilities. I launched the competitive call on the 29th of June 2023. This asks HEI’s to consider how they can enhance provision for students with an intellectual disability and a total fund of €9 million over 3 years is available, from funding secured in Budget 2022, to support enhanced provision. A lot of consultation has taken place with students to inform this call for proposals and I look forward to receipt of proposals for consideration later this year, closing date is 12th October 2023.
The Fund for Students with Disabilities is a critical intervention which supports participation by students with a disability in further and higher education. The fund is an important driver for equity of access to education for students with a disability.
The purpose of the fund is to provide resources to Further and Higher Education Institutions for the delivery of key services and supports for students with disabilities on full time and part time courses. The FSD operates firmly within the context of the wider education policy landscape in Ireland, which emphasizes the importance of the system being one in which students of all backgrounds can succeed within the mainstream, including those with disabilities. The FSD is designed to complement, rather than substitute for, the core system.
At Further Education level (FET) Fostering Inclusion is also a core pillar of the Further Education and Training (FET) Strategy 2020-2024. It highlights the emphasis the sector places on ensuring access to all learners, whatever their circumstances. The Strategic Performance Agreements, published in 2022, set out targets for each Education and Training Board (ETB) to widen participation from priority groups, including those from lower socio-economic backgrounds and those with disabilities.
FET courses are typically free of charge or heavily subsidized, and the announcement in Budget 2022 of the removal of the €200 PLC levy, which was introduced in 2011, with effect from the 2023/2024 academic year is particularly welcome. There are also a number of direct financial supports in place across FET to incentivise young people to continue to engage in education past school whatever their socioeconomic status. These include the payment of the SUSI grant and a training allowance in place of social welfare in FET. Additionally, the REACH Fund provides support to educationally disadvantaged learners participating in community education. Community Education providers can apply for funding across several categories including learner assistance.
The FET sector is also 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 for learners with a disability. There are a re range of supports available in the FET sector for learners with a disability, as well as provision of specific programmes for learners with a disability who may require more intensive supports through Specialist Training Provision. Guidelines for practitioners in relation to implementing a Universal Design for Learning, or UDL, approach in the FET sector were published by SOLAS, and this approach aims to reduce obstacles to learning by taking into account the needs of learners of diverse backgrounds and abilities.
