Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I note her genuinely interest in this area. She raised several issues. I am pleased to hear that the issue experienced by the individual to whom she referred was resolved. I am still frustrated that it occurred. The fund for students with disabilities is meant to be student-centred. In general, the feedback I get is that it is. If the person in question would like to relay his experience to me, I would be happy to take up that.

I also intend to pursue the issue the Deputy raised with me previously, and mentioned again this morning, regarding the fact that a student may have a personal assistant in college, which is great and largely works quite well, but if the student wants to go for a cup of coffee off-campus with fellow students, the PA cannot accompany him or her. That issue was brought to my attention. It does not seem right that that is the way it works. I will revert to the Deputy and the committee on that issue.

As regards the part-time piece, I acknowledge that we are all on the same page. I should have said in my opening statement that part-time students are eligible for the FSD and the student assistance fund. The figures are that 569 part-time students receive funding under the FSD and 1,242 part-time students receive funding under the student assistance fund. It is good that those two funds are available. The bit we have yet to do relates to SUSI. A key recommendation of the review I published in May is that part-time study needs to be funded. Those who are in part-time study need to be eligible for SUSI. I wish to prioritise that work and I have asked Professor Tom Collins to lead on that but, as a starting point within that, I would like students with a disability to be prioritised. That could make a significant change.

I would be happy to meet with Niamh. I saw on social media that she was in Leinster House. There has been engagement. I am very proud of the extensive work that my Department and sector do with people with disabilities in terms of not just the writing of the national access plan, but also the monitoring of it. We have a specific committee structure within the Department. We have begun conversations with students with a disability in postgraduate study. Dr. Vivian Rath may be known to the committee. He is an excellent advocate and I have been meeting with him. He has been bringing together other students with a disability at postgraduate level. It is a great source of encouragement for students at undergraduate level but it is also good that we are now beginning to talk about postgraduate students with a disability and the supports that need to be put in place. I agree entirely in terms of there being nothing about us without us.

The specific career guidance piece the Deputy mentioned is key. The first piece of work I wanted to do was to get that autistic fund and the fund for students with intellectual disabilities, namely, the programme for access to higher education, PATH 4, in place. I am delighted we have done that. The Deputy has hit the nail on the head regarding the next piece, which is the transition from second level to third level. Obviously, I do not have all the responsibility for this but I do have responsibility for the part that relates to what happens in third level. I remember from my time as Minister for Health that a huge discussion takes place every year about the level of funding for day care and respite places for what they call school leavers who are people with a disability. That is an important conversation.

It seems to be the only one we have though. There does not seem to be a conversation about what happens to the person with a disability when he or she leaves second-level education and wants to access the education system. That was the motivation behind the new PATH 4 programme. There is work to be done on this. I have spoken to the Ministers of State, Deputies Madigan and Rabbitte and the Minister, Deputy Foley. We need to do work on the transition planning and careers guidance. I am very happy to work with the committee on that and get its input. I will come back on that.