Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 239: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which resources are provided to allow people with disabilities to participate in further education. [8760/06]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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It is the Department's policy to seek to encourage and facilitate the participation of people with disabilities on programmes offered in the further education sector. It is acknowledged, however, that while further education programmes are open to people with disabilities, the supports required to enable them to access these options are in need of further development. Generally, issues of access for individuals to further education programmes are addressed at local level.

In December 2005, special grants were provided by my Department to vocational education committees to upgrade services through the purchase of equipment and materials, refurbishment and minor structural works to enhance the provision for students with disabilities.

The vocational training opportunities scheme is primarily for unemployed people but people with disabilities are also a target group. Under the scheme, full-time courses of one or two years' duration are provided to participants to enhance their employability.

The back to education initiative provides part-time further education programmes for adults to give them an opportunity to combine a return to learning with family, work and other responsibilities. People with disabilities are one of the target groups of the programme.

People with disabilities may also avail of adult literacy courses provided by the VECs around the country. A grant has also been provided to the Irish Deaf Society to train tutors to give literacy tuition. A grant is awarded annually to the Dyslexia Association of Ireland as a contribution towards assessments.

People with disabilities also benefit from grants under the education equality initiative. This is one of a range of initiatives which seek to address educational disadvantage by promoting equality of access and equality of treatment. This is achieved through the provision of short-term, two-year or three-year grants to organisations for specific purposes. Under the current phase of the initiative, running from 2003 to 2006, grants have been awarded to three projects catering for people with disabilities.

An action research pilot project was developed in a number of further education colleges in the Dublin area. This pilot project continues to be supported by two disability support officers, the National Training and Development Institute as well as flexible additional funds for transport, equipment, interpreters and so forth. The service identifies and offers supports to students and staff around the area of disability. The provision of awareness-raising sessions and participation in college open and recruitment days is also an integral element of the role of the support officer.