Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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681. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied); if the higher education access route application process will be reviewed to ensure applicants are given every opportunity to correct minor errors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10021/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The HEAR scheme is operated by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) who set the policy criteria for the scheme. Admissions under the schemes are regulated by the higher education institutions themselves. Each institution determines its own admissions policy in relation to the schemes, the number of places they reserve and the allocation of those places. Applications to both schemes are submitted to the Central Applications Office (CAO) who coordinate the scheme for participating institutions.

As such, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has no role in the policy criteria or administration of the scheme.

According to the HEAR handbook of 2021, HEAR uses a review and appeals process to make sure that all HEAR applicants are treated fairly and the assessment procedures have been applied consistently. Further information on the review and appeals process is available at www.accesscollege.ie/hear/making-an-application/hear-review-and-appeals/

Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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682. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10022/21]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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Education and Training Boards (ETBs) provide a wide range of courses to meet the needs of both individuals and employers. Each ETB determines the provision and location of particular courses and in doing so takes a range of factors into consideration. A full list of Further Education and Training (FET) courses are available at www.fetchcourses.ie.

I would encourage the individual in question to make an appointment with the Adult Education Guidance Service (AEGS) in their local ETB; in this instance Dublin and Dun Laoghaire ETB. The AEGS provides guidance and information to FET learners and potential learners before, during and after training and can go through the various FET options and supports available to them. This service is confidential and free of charge.