Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 450: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her proposals for social inclusion in higher education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23762/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is managing a focused programme of investment for social inclusion in higher education. The National Access Office was established as part of the Higher Education Authority in 2003 with the aim of co-ordinating and developing national policy and implementing funding measures facilitating greater educational access and opportunity for groups who are under-represented in higher education — those who are disadvantaged socially, economically and culturally, mature students and students with a disability. The National Access Office works with all higher education institutions and is currently in the third year of implementation of a national action plan (2005-2007) to achieve equity of access to higher education.

The access programmes of third level institutions are targeting students in the first and second level sector, adult learners returning to education, learners with a disability, members of the travelling community and ethnic minorities. In 2006 the National Office managed the allocation of over €16 million in third Level Access funding for the direct support of students through the Fund for Students with a Disability, the Student Assistance Fund and the Millennium Partnership Fund.

In 2006, a total of 2,444 students, through both individual and group applications, benefited from the Fund for Students with Disabilities. Almost 10,000 students benefited from the Student Assistance Fund in respect of the 2005/2006 academic year. A total of almost 4,000 individuals benefited from the Millennium Partnership Fund in respect of the 2005/2006 academic year.

In October 2006 I announced details of the allocation of over €42 million to third level institutions across the country under the first cycle of the Strategic Innovation Fund. The projects approved are aimed at enhancing collaboration between higher education institutions, improving teaching and learning, supporting the development of fourth level education.

There are positive indications that the combined investment of resources and measures at all levels of the education system to address social exclusion and educational disadvantage is paying dividends and increasing participation in higher education.