Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

43. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the funding that is available for the inclusive learning initiative with NUI Maynooth and an organisation (details supplied) to enable students with an intellectual disability to undertake courses of study; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10110/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The National Access Plan, 2015-19 contains a specific target to increase the number of students with disabilities in higher education. The plan sets an overall target that 8% of new entrants to HE will be people with disabilities by the end of the plan.  My Department is working closely with the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and higher education institutions in order to achieve this target.

A number of interventions are in place to promote access to higher education for students with disabilities. These include the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) scheme, the Fund for Students with Disabilities, and a network of Disability Officers working within each higher education institution.

At institutional level a number of higher education institutions have developed specific programmes that are intended to include students with intellectual disabilities in third level.

The Inclusive Learning Initiative was one such initiative that was developed by Maynooth University. It enabled a small group of students with an intellectual disability to participate in some modules of higher education programmes.

I understand that Maynooth University took 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. Ultimately 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.