John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 86: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a network of regional access officers will be put in place, designed to encourage and support students with disabilities to continue in education and progress to third level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27582/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Several networks of access and disability personnel already exist in the third level sector, such as the access made accessible network of all third level access officers and the disability advisers working network of disability officers in the sector. The National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education has highlighted in its action plan of December 2004 the need for enhanced systems of collaboration at all levels of the education system and between the education and community sector. An evaluation of access programmes in third level institutions being conducted by the office will include the making of recommendations about the development of systems of partnership and collaboration towards ensuring improved access and participation for under-represented groups of students, including students with a disability.