Written answers

Tuesday, 28 November 2006

Department of Education and Science

Third Level Education

10:00 am

Photo of Emmet StaggEmmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 86: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her response to Barriers to Access to Further and Higher Education for Non-EU Nationals Resident in Ireland published by Pobal in October 2006; if she proposes to introduce changes to address the findings of the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40161/06]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Pobal report which was published last month. This report makes a number recommendations for overall government policy, the work of individual government departments, including the Department of Education and Science, state agencies and higher and further education institutions.

The achievement of a more inclusive and intercultural approach across a range of state services, including further and higher education provision, is an essential part of our development as a modern society and economy. Many of the barriers identified in this report are being addressed through the National Action Plan Against Racism 2005-2008. A departmental steering committee has been established to co-ordinate the Department's response to the education of newcomers. I will arrange for the Pobal report to be brought to the attention of the steering committee and for the findings of it to be considered as part of its work.

The Pobal report is also helpful with the work of the HEA, National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education which, in collaboration with the National Consultative Committee on Inter-Culturalism and Racism (NCCRI), hopes to make significant progress in 2007 on the advancement of intercultural strategies for access to higher education in Ireland. This will include collaboration with key stakeholders, including Pobal and representatives of higher education institutions, on the development of current policy and practice. This work will be presented and discussed at a conference to be held later in 2007.

A recurrent theme in the Pobal report is the need for better data. I understand that preliminary findings from this year's census will be available by the middle of next year and that these will also be considered at the conference in 2007. The information emerging from the 2006 census will, for the first time, allow for the co-relation of data on nationality, ethnic background, age, social class, location and level of educational attainment. This analysis, as well as the tracking of admission and participation of under-represented groups at all levels of the education system, will be key to advising the focus of future policy and funding.

Another recommendation of the report is the need for clear information on entitlements to financial support for potential and actual students from ethnic minorities. Following the 2005 review of access funding, the National Office are in the final stages of developing a co-ordinated information strategy which will assist students and their families in navigating existing financial supports available to them in further and higher education. This work includes the development of a new website and accompanying financial information that is being developed for new entrants to further and higher education.

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