Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The short answer to Deputy Murnane O'Connor is yes, in that we do need to do more and to be better in providing information. I thank Deputy Stanton for contacting me and bringing this issue to my attention. It had not been brought to my attention previously. I immediately contacted my officials and I will engage with them again after Question Time. It would be very unfair if people, through no fault of their own, were caught abroad because of a global pandemic and the criterion was used against them. I am actively on this matter and I appreciate the time sensitivity. I will come back to the Deputy.

Deputy Conway-Walsh asked about part-time courses. She is right. It is not unusual for a student with a disability to be told or advised to do a four-year degree because they are well able for it but that it might work better for them it to do it over five or six years. We have asked Professor Tom Collins, one of the co-chairs of our new funding implementation group, to do specific work on part-time education, what it is and how we define it. It is an area I would like to move forward on. The Deputy's suggestion on part-time courses in respect of disability might be something to start on. With regard to the student assist fund, we will try to make it available earlier.

Prisoner education is the responsibility of the Department and approximately €15 million a year is spent on it. If we can get it right it has the ability to be a circuit-breaker in terms of deprivation and people going in and out of prison. I visited Shelton Abbey recently and I will speak to Deputy Crowe about it. I will be very happy to come back to the Deputy on this. We are engaging with the Irish Prison Service to see how we can roll out more programmes and how we can have accreditation and make apprenticeships available.

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