Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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167. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the membership of the disability advisors' working network; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52082/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Disability Advisors Working Network (DAWN) is a professional group for Disability Officers who are primarily responsible for supporting learners with disabilities in Higher Education in Ireland. They meet three times annually to share and work on common areas of interest, to improve supports for students with disabilities in third level education. They have a number of specialist sub-groups working on areas for improvements. In addition, the group sits on a number of government groups and national bodies such as (Disability Access Route to Education) DARE/Irish Universities Association (IUA) working groups.

All universities and a number of smaller colleges including private colleges are members. Due to the changing landscape of technical universities, some of these colleges have multiple campuses and regional differences.

The most up to date membership list is attached.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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168. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there was an underspend in the fund for students with disabilities in each of the years 2017 to 2021; the extent of any such underspend; if and to where any underspend in funding was reassigned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52083/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The purpose of the Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) is to provide funding to higher education institutions to assist them in offering supports and services to eligible students with disabilities so that they can participate on an equal basis with their peers. The FSD is managed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on behalf of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS).

My officials are liaising with the HEA regarding the information sought by the Deputy. When the information is available, I will arrange for it to be sent directly to the Deputy.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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169. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if students with disabilities from here studying in Northern Ireland have access to the fund for students with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52084/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The purpose of the Fund for Disabilities (FSD) is to assist further and higher education institutions in ensuring students with disabilities have the necessary assistance and equipment to enable them access, fully participate in and successfully complete their chosen course of study.

Eligible students from this State studying in Northern Ireland may qualify for funding under the FSD for where they are enrolled on a full-time undergraduate courses of not less than two years duration or a full-time postgraduate courses of not less than one-year duration pursued in a university or higher education institution which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds in an EU Member State or the United Kingdom, with the exception of the following:

1. Courses in colleges of further and higher education (other than courses which are at Higher National Diploma level or higher);

2. Courses provided in a college which are offered in private commercial third-level colleges in the state in question, and which are validated by that college; and

3. Courses in colleges akin to private commercial colleges in Ireland.

Further information on the Fund is available at www.studentfinance.ie or from the Access Office of any higher education institution.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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170. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider extending the fund for students with disabilities to part-time students studying in further education institutions as recommended in the 2017 review of the Fund for Students with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52064/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Fostering Inclusion is one of the three core pillars around which the FET Strategy 2020-2024 is built. The FET sector is committed to increasing levels of inclusion through the provision of high quality, more accessible and flexible education and training programmes and supports suited to the identified needs of individuals, including persons with a disability, with the aim of enabling every citizen to participate fully in society.

Disability supports are available to participants on FET programmes depending on the specific circumstances. Funding for these programmes are dispersed under general individual programme and learner support headings. Within the FET sector, a broad range of supports are provided through the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) to support the participation of all learners, including those with disabilities. FET offers a full suite of programmes and these are on offer to all who wish to participate regardless of disability.

SOLAS now manage the FET element of the FSD. Supports in the FET sector available through the FSD include academic/learning support, assistive technology equipment & software, hearing impaired supports, examination supports, non-medical helpers and transport supports for learners with a disability. Allocation of the FSD is reviewed every year.

In addition to add on disability supports, the FET Strategy 2020 – 2024 is moving towards a Universal Design approach, whereby disability supports are integrated into mainstream provision insofar as is possible, with specialised supports reserved for people with needs that cannot be met through mainstream provision.  This approach is also consistent with Irish Government policy, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the agenda of National Disability Authority, which established The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design in 2007 under the Disability Act 2005.  

This approach recognises that every individual learns differently, has different interests, aptitudes and levels of ability, whether or not they have what might be defined as a special educational need. It aims to optimise learning for all by accommodating the diverse educational needs of all learners within mainstream provision.  Individualised supports, for addressing more specific needs among a smaller subset of learners will, of course, be maintained and promoted.

The annual funding arrangements between SOLAS and Education and Training Boards (ETBs) requests ETBs to provide the necessary individualised and mainstreamed supports to all learners, to reduce barriers to full participation and meet the requirements of the various inclusion strategies such as the National Disability Strategy and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy, thereby ensuring success for all learners.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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171. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his actions to increase the number of disabled people in the apprenticeship system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52065/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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At present all 66 national apprenticeships are structured on a full-time basis. Information is sought at the point of registration on any additional supports that may be needed due to a disability. Education and training providers offer learning and other supports to apprentices during their training and many employers also provide accommodations in the workplace to apprentices with disabilities. Currently a total of 640 apprentices, or just under 3%, have declared one or more disabilities, and are receiving additional supports. A majority of these, 400 apprentices, or 62.5% of the total who identified as having a disability, identified themselves as having dyslexia. A further 25.5% identified other disabilities related to learning, while 12% did not specify what disability they had.

One of the five overarching objectives of the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 is "Apprenticeship for All" by ensuring that the profile of the apprenticeship population will more closely reflect the profile of the general population. The Plan promotes general access, diversity, and inclusion in apprenticeship by suggested targeted supports to encourage participation from under-represented groups including those with disabilities, women and those from ethnic minorities.

The expanding range of opportunities available within apprenticeship, as well as changing work practices in traditional areas, provide a step towards increasing opportunity for persons with a disability and other traditionally under-represented groups, however relying on a broader range of apprenticeships is not sufficient to provide equity of opportunity to marginalised groups. 

Targets and interventions for specific groups will be detailed through an Equity of Access subcommittee of the National Apprenticeship Alliance to ensure that the voice of under-represented groups is integral to the development of the apprenticeship system. It is envisaged that the subcommittee will include representation that ensures links with second level, community education, youth justice programmes, broader FET provision and higher education are represented.

The National Apprenticeship Office will increase the visibility of underrepresented groups in apprenticeship literature and promotional material to reflect the participation and positive experience of people from all backgrounds and communities, as well as the availability of assistive supports.

The actions set out in the Plan build on the outcomes of the 2018 Review of Pathways to Participation in Apprenticeship which has already resulted in a significant widening of measures to support increased visibility of apprenticeships.

Specific actions in the Action Plan include: 

- An employer survey will determine baseline employer attitude and extent of knowledge of supports available to employers for supporting employees with a disability. 

- Targets and interventions for specific groups will be detailed to ensure that the voice of under-represented groups is integral to the development of the apprenticeship system.

- Targets for participation by under-represented groups, and additional specific actions to support those target groups will be set in conjunction with the Equity of Access Subcommittee and will be monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure that interventions are effective in supporting increased diversity of the apprentice population.

- An apprentice bursary/support scheme will be established to fund up to 100 apprentices per year who are experiencing severe socioeconomic disadvantage and who are from target groups, including lone parents, people with disabilities, Travellers and Roma.

- Access to apprenticeship programmes and pre-apprenticeship courses will be clearly labelled as such, with progression routes into apprenticeship clearly identified and information on these courses will be published on www. apprenticeship.ie.

- All apprentice jobs are advertised on www.apprenticejobs.ie, with information on apprenticeship now accessible from the CAO website. A dedicated apprentice guidance line has been established to support this initial period of increased visibility of apprenticeship to school leavers

- Extending the bursary of €2,666 which is paid by SOLAS to employers of female apprentices in the 25 craft apprenticeships to encourage them to employ female apprentices to all apprenticeship programmes with greater than 80% representation of a single gender.  This is being implemented with effect from 01 January 2022, and covers all new apprentice registrations from that date on eligible national apprenticeship programmes.

As set out in the Programme for Government and elaborated in the Action Plan there must be clear, demonstrated engagement with apprenticeship by the public service to embed the apprenticeship model within the national employer base. A target of 750 new apprentice registrations per annum will be delivered across the public service by 2025. Apprenticeship provides an opportunity to target and widen the recruitment pool for both generalist and specialist roles within the public service and as a means to meeting commitments under the Comprehensive Employment Strategy such as increasing the statutory target of 3% of employees with disabilities in the public service to 6% by 2024.

The Wage Subsidy Scheme (WSS) does not fall within the remit of the DFHERIS. However, I do recognise the intersection that is apparent between our policy objective of developing an inclusive and accessible apprenticeship system for all and the unintended consequences of the current lack of alignment between the WSS and Apprenticeship.

The Wage Subsidy Scheme (WSS) is a financial employment support to private sector employers, the objective of which is to encourage employers to employ people with disabilities and thereby increase the numbers of people with disabilities participating in the open labour market. 

Currently, the Scheme does not recognise those employees who are engaged in apprenticeship programmes. As such, DEASPs current criteria for accessing the WSS is incompatible with apprenticeships

DFHERIS officials have engaged with DEASP counterparts to ensure that between the APA and the WSS, barriers will not arise to prevent or dissuade interested employers and candidates from pursuing their career goals through Apprenticeship.

I am advised that DEASP will be carrying out a review of the Wage Subsidy Scheme this year as part of its commitments under the Comprehensive Employment Strategy. As part of this review DEASP will be conducting a consultation on the scheme from the perspective of employers and people with disabilities.

I am satisfied that these measures and the implementation process for the Apprenticeship Action Plan overall will have a significant impact in ensuring greater diversity in the apprenticeship population as a whole.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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172. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his actions to increase the number of disability support staff in further and higher education institutions to reflect the increase in the number of disabled students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52066/22]

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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173. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the ratio of disability support staff to disabled students in further and higher education institutions from 2016/2017 academic year to the 2020/2021 academic year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52067/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 172 and 173 together.

The provision of disability supports and services for students, and the organisation, staffing and management of the disability support services, is a matter for each HEI.

The Higher Education Authority have informed my officials that information on staffing levels of disability support services in HEIs is not collected. There are also difficulties in carrying out a HEI-by-HEI or year-by-year comparison e.g. varying student needs depending on the nature of the disability or support, configuration of disability support and other services in HEIs, HEIs being at different stages in relation to the development of Universal Design principles and practices.

As part of their core grant funding which is allocated on a block grant basis from the HEA to publicly funded HEIs, HEIs are expected to put in place an access infrastructure to support equity of access for underrepresented groups, including students with disabilities.

Further Education and Training (FET) does not have disability or access offices. However, Fostering Inclusion is one of the three core pillars around which the FET Strategy 2020-2024 is built. The FET sector is committed to increasing levels of inclusion through the provision of high quality, more accessible and flexible education and training programmes and supports suited to the identified needs of individuals, including persons with a disability, with the aim of enabling every citizen to participate fully in society. Disability supports are available to participants on FET programmes depending on the specific circumstances.

Funding for these programmes are dispersed under general individual programme and learner support headings. Within the FET sector, a broad range of supports are provided through the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) to support the participation of all learners, including those with disabilities. FET offers a full suite of programmes and these are on offer to all who wish to participate regardless of disability.

In addition to add on disability supports, the FET Strategy 2020 – 2024 is moving towards a Universal Design approach, whereby disability supports are integrated into mainstream provision insofar as is possible, with specialised supports reserved for people with needs that cannot be met through mainstream provision.

This approach is also consistent with Irish Government policy, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the agenda of National Disability Authority, which established The Centre for Excellence in Universal Design in 2007 under the Disability Act 2005. This approach recognises that every individual learns differently, has different interests, aptitudes and levels of ability, whether or not they have what might be defined as a special educational need. It aims to optimise learning for all by accommodating the diverse educational needs of all learners within mainstream provision.

Individualised supports, for addressing more specific needs among a smaller subset of learners will, of course, be maintained and promoted. The annual funding arrangements between SOLAS and Education and Training Boards (ETBs) requests ETBs to provide the necessary individualised and mainstreamed supports to all learners, to reduce barriers to full participation and meet the requirements of the various inclusion strategies such as the National Disability Strategy and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy, thereby ensuring success for all learners.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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174. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views that the disability support staff should be aware of the different types of disability and the supports required for each of these disabilities; if he has plans to introduce training for disability support staff to ensure they have knowledge of a broad range of disabilities and the supports required for each of these disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52068/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Staff training is an important part of the third level education’s equity of access for underrepresented groups, including students with disabilities.

AHEAD Start Training

AHEAD Start, is an online training course on supporting students with disabilities in further and higher education provided by AHEAD. It is available to professional staff, such as teachers, careers advisors or dedicated support staff working within Irish Further Education & Training and Higher Education. AHEAD receives funding from DFHERIS through the HEA and SOLAS for its activities.

Disability Advisors Working Network (DAWN)

DAWN is a network of Disability Officers in HEIs who are primarily responsible for supporting learners with disabilities in Higher Education in Ireland. It acts as a forum for the sharing of best practice, information and expertise and the development of knowledge and skills in the area of disability support services. The HEA regularly engages with DAWN and disability officers in relation to e.g. annual FSD guidelines, information sharing and other work.