Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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3406. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on timelines, budgets and the terms of reference for a review of disability issues across further and higher education settings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43463/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Supporting the participation and success of learners with disabilities is a priority for my Department. Students with disabilities have been identified as a group who are under-represented in higher education and therefore are named as specific target group under the National Access Plan (NAP).

The NAP sets out the ambition for an inclusive, diverse higher education sector. A target to increase new entrants with a disability from 12.4% in 2022 to 16% by 2028 was set in the NAP. The latest figures available to the Department show this figure has increased to 14.7% for the 2023/2024 academic year.

This year, to further our work to support students with disabilities, my Department will commence work on a Disabilities Demonstration Project to look at the most impactful interventions and supports for students with disabilities. This will inform the process of developing a policy framework on the design and implementation of more flexible, responsive, and tailored model of supports and services, and will also explore work experience opportunities for students with disabilities in the tertiary education and training system. The scope and the terms of reference for the project are currently under consideration. As a part of Budget 2025, funding was secured to support this project.

This project aligns with the 'The National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030' which is due to be published in 2025, and Ireland’s commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.