Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 411: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if there are specific places retained for dyslexic students who want to pursue a career in nursing, who have performed well in the leaving certificate but who are some points adrift of the eligibility threshold; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18634/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department aims to achieve greater equity of participation of students with disabilities at all levels of education in Ireland and, to this end, supports the provision of assistance to students with a specific learning disability, such as dyslexia, to access and participate in higher education.

Ten higher education institutions, eight with schools of nursing, collaborate in the operation of a supplementary admissions process to assess the supports required for students with disabilities, including consideration for admission on the basis of reduced points.

A review of this scheme by the UCC disability office in 2006 found that, in 2005, over 570 students with a disability were admitted to the ten institutions through the supplementary admissions process, including 50 students to health science disciplines such as nursing. On average, over 54% of students with a disability admitted through this scheme had a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.