Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 178: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will furnish a reply to correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9813/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The correspondence referred to by the Deputy is in respect of a person working as a personal assistant for a student with autism attending Athlone Institute of Technology. Personal assistants are utilised within third level colleges for certain classes of students with disabilities, mainly those with physical or mobility difficulties. The main source of funding for personal assistants is the fund for students with disabilities.

Colleges of further and higher education can apply on behalf of students who require a personal assistant in order to participate equitably in their education. Contractual arrangements in relation to personal assistants vary between institutions. Most colleges either use agencies that supply personal assistants, or employ personal assistants directly on temporary part-time or wholetime contracts. In both cases, the employer of the personal assistant is required to comply with the relevant employment legislation which is in force at this time. In some smaller colleges, personal assistants are contracted on a self-employed basis directly by the student, who is provided with the necessary resources by their college.

The manner in which the personal assistants are employed is a matter for each institution. The terms and conditions of employment for employees who provide support for students with disabilities in third level is a matter for the individual college, which in this case is Athlone Institute of Technology. Apart from the funds provided specifically for the student support schemes, there is no other funding available from the Department that can be made available in this case.