Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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73. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to increase funding for targeted access supports in higher education to improve equity of access. [20753/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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A new National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education is currently being developed by the National Office for Equity of Access to Higher Education in consultation with my Department. This will include new targets to increase participation by under-represented groups. The Third Level Access Measure provides support for disadvantaged students through two sub-priorities: the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities. The overall value of the measure for the 2013/14 academic year is €16.2 million. The Student Assistance Fund, allocated to 31 higher education institutions, provides targeted financial support for students who face financial difficulties during the course of their studies. The value of the Fund was €8.35 million for 2013-14. The Fund for Students with Disabilities provides resources to both further and higher education institutions to enable accommodations and supports to be put in place for students with disabilities on full-time courses. €10.2 million has been allocated for this purpose to-date in 2013-14 academic year.

In addition, the access programmes of the higher education institutions are supported by a core access grant which forms part of the annual, recurrent grant allocation by the HEA to each of those institutions. Over €25 million in core access funding has been allocated to 26 higher education institutions as part of the 2014 allocation. The purpose of this allocation is to support development and implementation of an access plan by each higher education institution as required under legislation. This includes work by the access office of each institution with schools, further education colleges and the wider community. Funding also supports the provision of post-entry supports and services for students with disabilities, first-time mature students and school-leavers from target socio-economic groups.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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74. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the value of the student assistance fund for each of the past five years; and the number of students who benefited from same during each of those years. [20754/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The table gives details of the allocation to the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) and the numbers of students who benefitted for the past five years.

2013-14 beneficiary numbers not yet available.