Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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878. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to report on the work of his Department on the implementation of the National Access Plan 2022 - 2028. [27311/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The National Access Plan (NAP) 2022-2028 sets out our ambitions for an inclusive, diverse Higher Education sector. The NAP targets and supports students who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, students with disabilities and students from the Traveller and Roma communities.

The Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) are the funding streams which have been put in place to support the delivery of the NAP. PATH 1 supports students to increase access to initial teacher education for students from under-represented groups and provide more role models for students from NAP priority groups such as Lone Parents, Travellers and students with a disability. The annual allocation for PATH 1 is €900,000, with total of €6.3 million allocated since 2017. Following an independent review of this programme, I recently announced that this programme will be moving from pilot phase to a sustainable funding model.

PATH 2 provides bursaries to students identified by their HEI’s as being the most socio-economically disadvantaged students in the target groups under the Plan. The Bursary provides 400 Tier 1 bursaries of €5,000 per annum, 200 Tier 2 bursaries of €2,000 per annum this academic year, and we have also introduced a Tier 3 bursary of €1,500 as a once off new entrant bursary. I am pleased to report that over 700 Tier 3 Bursaries were paid in 2024/25 academic year and every applicant eligible for a bursary received a bursary.

We have also moved the application process to a new online portal supported by SUSI, which has reduced the burden on students applying and has also greatly reduced streamlined processes for the Higher Education Institutions also.

PATH 3 provides funding to support the development of regional and community partnership strategies for increasing access to higher education by specified groups. The annual allocation for PATH 3 is €2.5m, including once off funding of €700,000 to support the additionality of the NAP published in 2022, the total allocation to date has been €15.7million. Following the independent review of PATH 3, I recently announced that I was moving this programme from a pilot programme to a sustainable funding model.

Students with disabilities are still under-represented in higher education, the NAP sets a new participation target of 16% of new entrants with a disability by 2028. The most recent data for 2023/24 indicates that the percentage of new entrants to Higher Education with a disability has increased to 14.7% from 12.4% when the NAP launched in 2022. The NAP has a new PATH 4 stream, which puts a particular focus on students with a disability, including those with an intellectual disability. For PATH 4 Phase 1 €3m was allocated in 2022 to support measures for Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in Higher Education Institutions for learners with disabilities and autistic learners and to assist institutions in preparatory work for phase 2 of funding. I recently announced a further €2.8m for UDL across the HEIs, with an emphasis to be placed on sensory maps and autism friendly tours of campus based on the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism, and also to support anti racism measures for Traveller and Roma students.

PATH 4 Phase 2 is a programme for higher education courses for students with an intellectual disability, with investment of over €11 million for the approved courses. Courses are approved on a pilot bases across 11 institutions. There are now have over 170 students enrolled in these new courses with a wide geographic spread across the State.

The roll out of PATH 5 puts an increased emphasis to target and support students from the Irish Traveller and Roma community. This programme was established as a three-year pilot to support access, participation and success for students from the Traveller and Roma communities with dedicated funding of €1.35million. Our latest figures indicate that 40 new entrants identified as Travellers under the equal access survey for 23/24. The target by 2028 set in the NAP is 150 new entrants each year.

The Mid-term Progress Review of the NAP has commenced, following the appointment by the HEA of independent consultants with expertise in the areas of widening participation and evaluation. The consultation process to support the Review will encompass consultation with students, higher education institutions, advocacy bodies, and community and regional stakeholders. It is expected that the review will be completed by the end of year.

Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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879. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to update on the progress of the disabilities pilot project in Further and Higher Education, as provided for in Budget 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27312/25]

Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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880. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to report on if a support team has been created to ensure the completion of the disability pilot project. [27313/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 879 and 880 together.

It is my intention to initiate the disability demonstration project this year which will seek to inform the development of a policy framework on the design and implementation of a more flexible, responsive, tailored model of supports for students with disabilities during their educational journey. The project will consider transitions from second level to third level, both FET and Higher Education. It will also consider the range and level of supports for students with disabilities and how to provide opportunities for students to gain work experience and to transition to employment after their studies. The project will be fully resourced from within my Department when it commences.

New entrants to Higher Education with a disability has increased to 14.7% for the 2023/2024 academic year from 12.4% at the start of the National Access Plan. In further education, there were 14,825 learners enrolled in 2023 who reported having at least one type of disability in the further education and training programmes. This figure constitutes 6.8% of all learners enrolled in the same year.

My Department has made significant progress regarding the range of supports and programmes for learners with disabilities.

The Fund for Students' with a Disability is provided across higher education and post leaving certificate programmes with an annual allocation of over €15 million. There are an extensive range of supports that fall within the scope of the Fund including assistive technology, non-medical helpers, ISL interpreters, transport supports, and examination supports.

The Programme for Access to Higher Education, or PATH, 4 funding stream under the National Access Plan supports my Department's goals of enabling all learners with disabilities avail of higher education.

Phase 1 funding of €3 million was provided in 2022 for a range of projects to improve Universal Design for Learning in higher education institutions. I recently announced additional one-off funding of over €2.8 million to further support such projects.

PATH 4 Phase 2 is the funding programme which has been made available by the Department for the provision of courses for Students with Intellectual Disabilities in Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). I am very pleased to inform the Deputy that 173 students are currently enrolled in 11 HEIs across a wide geographic spread from Donegal to Cork.