John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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149. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to ring-fence funding for counselling services on third-level campuses, as requested by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28862/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to HEA designated higher education institutions. The HEA allocates this funding as a block grant to the institutions. As autonomous bodies, the internal disbursement of this funding, including the funding of student services, is a matter for the individual institution.

Student services and associated activities are an integral part of the whole student experience at third level. Student services support each individual student achieve his/her intellectual, cultural and social potential while supporting and complementing the formal academic programme. Student services can fall under a number of headings, particularly ‘Welfare and Guidance’ which includes counselling services, health promotion, careers service, multi-faith, racial and ethnic cultural support.

The Deputy may wish to note that AHEAD, the Association for Higher Education Access and Disability, is supported through an annual grant from the HEA towards the cost of the activities of the organisation. In 2016, AHEAD in partnership with the National Learning Network (NLN), published a report called ‘Mental Health Matters’, a study into the experiences of students with mental health difficulties. The study found that the majority of HEIs have services supporting students with mental health difficulties and some institutions have dedicated services for students.

The report made a number of recommendations such as the promotion of mental health awareness to students on their induction, the provision of mental health awareness at institutional level for staff, and institutions adopting a whole of campus strategic response to meet the needs of students experiencing mental health difficulties. Implementation of the recommendations is being progressed by AHEAD and its partners.

The HEA also plan to work with the HSE to develop national guidance for higher education institutions in relation to suicide risk and critical incident response, thereby helping to address any gaps which may exist in the prevention of suicide in higher education.

My Department also provides a range of services for students in HEA funded higher education institutions, including supports provided by Access Offices. In particular these offices co-ordinate pastoral and academic supports for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Among the supports administered by the access offices, in conjunction with student services is the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities.