Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

168. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the access initiatives currently in operation by third level institutions; the number of participants on each; the annual expenditure on each; the number of staff employed in each institution for the purposes of promoting or implementing access initiatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21399/17]

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

Two of the main initiatives that are available in HEIs to promote access by students from under-represented groups are the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities.

The Student Assistance Fund provides financial assistance for full-time students who are experiencing financial difficulties whilst attending college. Students can apply for assistance to help them with either temporary or ongoing financial difficulties.

The Fund for Students with Disabilities allocates funding to further and higher education colleges for the provision of services and supports to full-time students with disabilities. The Fund aims to ensure that students can participate fully in their academic programmes and are not disadvantaged by reason of a disability.

Both Funds are managed by the HEA on behalf of my Department. Details of expenditure on both Funds and the number of beneficiaries are attached.

Each HEI also operates its own specific access initiatives that are most appropriate to its institutional and geographical context. This may include outreach programmes, scholarships, and mentoring programmes.  

My Department does not collate data on the number of personnel specifically employed on access initiatives within individual HEIs. Individuals may be engaged on access initiatives as well as other activities within an individual institution. It is a matter for each HEI, as autonomous institutions, to manage its staffing resources within the overall context of overall public sector policy requirements.

Table 1.

The Fund for Students with Disabilities

Student Beneficiaries

Table 2.

The Student Assistance Fund

Student Beneficiaries