Mr. Somhairle Brennan:

It is interesting the Senator touched on further education, level 5 and post-leaving certificate courses. Further education programmes are smaller and easier to access. There is a higher level of face-to-face and one-on-one engagement with lecturers. In larger universities students are in a room with 300 other people. There is not the same level of intimate support that people get in smaller colleges and further education. This means these courses are much more accessible because people are able to get their needs individually catered for rather than being another fish in a very large pond.

I agree with Ms O'Connor on the magic wand. The universal design for learning is a priority.

Alongside that, there must be a level of destigmatisation of the discussion of disability. One of the biggest challenges we face when engaging with students living with disability in third level is internalised stigma that they stigmatise on themselves. There have to be further supports in that regard before empowering these students to be able to live and to show them that it is okay to not fit what is laid out for them in those criteria that they are being told to fit into. Similar to the principle of UDL, their learning and form of education should be shaped around them rather than them shaping themselves around it, so to speak. Finally, further funding must be put into the sector in regard to the grant schemes but also in regard to the medical card programme. Getting a medical card should be much easier for students with disabilities than it is at present. People should not be put in positions where they have to prove and fight to prove that they are what they say they are. They should be believed and supported off the bat. Having that type of support on a wider level outside of third level education is what will support them. It is the knock-on effect of going outside in rather than inside out, so to speak.