Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 567: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the amount of funding to be allocated to the fund for students with disabilities in respect of the academic year 2008-09; if there is a capping on the amount of funding allocated to different disabilities on an averaging of spending in previous years, even though in June 2008 at the launch of the Higher Education Authority Plan for Access 2008 to 2013 he announced that the plan is to double the number of people with sensory, physical and multiple disabilities in higher education by 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42406/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Fund for Students with Disabilities is a component of the Third Level Access Fund and is administered on behalf of my Department by the Higher Education Authority's National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education. The total allocation to the Third Level Access Fund for 2008 is €17.984m. In addition to the Fund for Students with Disabilities, the Third Level Access Fund supports other programmes, including the Student Assistance Fund, the Millennium Partnership Fund and pilot community-based access initiatives.

The decision on the allocation of resources for 2008-9 between the different strands of the Third Level Access Fund will be made by the National Access Office in consultation with my Department and following the completion of discussions with the sector, having regard to the goals of the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education. Capping of supports has always applied in relation to individual equipment and personal service supports under the fund for Students with Disabilities.