Holly Cairns (Cork South-West, Social Democrats)
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1891. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline the work being undertaken in her Department to increase access to third level education for disabled people; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20283/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for this question. I am committed to ensuring that disabled people are supported to live full lives of their own choosing, on an equitable basis with all others in society, including ensuring that all who wish to obtain a third level education are supported and empowered to do so.

The right to access further and higher education is articulated in Article 24(5) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which states that disabled people should have equitable access to third level education, vocational training, and lifelong learning.

It is important to note that the responsibility for access to third level education for people with disabilities lies with my colleague the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. My Department has been working closely with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to support disabled people to access third level placements. One key measure within my own remit has been the ability for school leavers or persons exiting rehabilitative training to defer their day service placement in order to pursue other options, such as education or training, without losing access to their day service place.

My Department is also leading on the development of the next National Disability Strategy, which will be a framework for ambitious joined up action on disability policy across government and which will take an important focus on inclusive learning and education as a key issue.

Under the sectoral leadership of the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, the Minister for Education and my own remit over early learning and childcare settings, the Strategy will take ambitious action to tackle the barriers to education encountered by disabled people, while also providing supports and enhancing opportunities for people with disabilities who are already in education or are transitioning from one phase to the next.

Following a comprehensive public consultation process, ongoing engagement with a range of disability stakeholders and extensive cross-government collaboration, the Strategy is now at an advanced stage of development and publication is expected in the coming months.