Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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603. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which the ring-fenced funding of €300,000 announced on 12 November 2020 will be allocated and spent to ensure supports are available for Travellers seeking to progress in higher and further education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4259/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Dormant accounts funding of €300,000 was approved in 2021 for targeted supports to address the Implications of COVID-19 for Traveller transfer to and progression within Higher Education.

Consultations have commenced between officials in my Department, the Higher Education Authority, Traveller representative groups and representatives from the Higher Education Institutions on the best approach to allocating the funding to ensure that the risks associated with COVID-19 do not serve to widen the existing and very significant gap in participation in higher education by Traveller.

Decisions on the roll out of funding will be made in the coming weeks.