Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for the question, which is very timely. I have some positive news and perhaps we can build on it. Inclusion is a core goal for my Department, for the House and for Members on all sides of this House. It is about ensuring that there is access and equity of access for all students of both further and higher education. It is most likely that we will publish a new national access and inclusion plan with a budget of €5 million to deliver on measures in 2022 in March.

While higher education institutions, HEIs, are autonomous, the approach of my Department has been to offer a range of supports that enable them to meet national objectives, including those relating to inclusion and supports for people with disabilities. Last year, for example, we provided €5.8 million in funding for initiatives in 24 HEIs aimed at supporting students with disabilities to access and engage with higher education. That has delivered a variety of projects, including sensory spaces, training of staff, development of assistive technology, mental health supports, development of wayfinding apps to help students with disabilities navigate their way around campuses, and capital accessibility improvements to campuses. This strategic projects fund was additional to the standard fund for students with disabilities.

As regards the specific question on buildings and estates, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Higher Education Authority, HEA, is in the process of finalising what it describes as a detailed space survey of the higher education estate. As part of this survey, HEIs have been asked to indicate the compliance of their buildings with part M of the building regulations, which addresses access for people with disabilities. The survey will be regularly updated and progress on the issue will be monitored and reported going forward. Institutions can address issues of non-compliance - of course, people have to be helped to become compliant - using funding from devolved capital grants or as part of a broader building upgrade project. In this respect, I am pleased I will this week launch a new phase of capital investment calls that will include an emphasis on alignment with universal design principles and fostering inclusion in all its facets.

The Deputy is onto a very important issue here. The space survey will be a foundation on which we can build.

See this speech in context