Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1109: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the help which is available to assist a person (details supplied) in County Mayo to purchase a laptop or computer as an aid in third level studies. [24682/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The fund for students with disabilities, which is ESF-aided, was introduced in 1994. It provides funding to students with disabilities attending courses in third level institutions and, since 1998, in post-leaving certificate centres. This fund is administered by the National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education.

The purpose of the fund is to provide students with serious physical and-or sensory disabilities with grant assistance towards the cost of special equipment, special materials and technological aids, targeted transport services, personal assistants and sign language interpreters. To be considered eligible for the fund an applicant must meet the prescribed criteria.

Applications for assistance are made by the individual students through the disability-access officer of a third level institution on registration. Decisions on applications are taken by the national office, and verified by an independent panel comprising representatives of agencies and individuals who have experience of working with people with disabilities.