Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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59. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide funding to the National University of Ireland Maynooth to ensure the continuance of the inclusive learning initiative through which persons with intellectual disabilities are taking modules of mainstream courses with their fellow students (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15189/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Inclusive Learning Initiative was a pilot initiative by Maynooth University that enabled a small group of students with an intellectual disability to participate in some modules of higher education programmes.

I understand that Maynooth University has taken the decision not to recruit any additional students for this pilot initiative in 2016. The existing students who are enrolled on the programme will be allowed to complete their studies.

This is an issue for Maynooth University in the first instance. It is up to each higher education institution to identify and manage its priorities within the budget allocated to it by the Higher Education Authority.

The National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education, 2015-19, was launched in December 2015. The Plan contains more than 30 actions that are intended to ensure that higher education is representative of the diversity within Irish society. One of the key objectives of the Plan is to ensure that access is mainstreamed across higher education institutions. This is the best means of ensuring that all those who are capable of participating in higher education have an opportunity to fulfil their potential.