Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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407. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he is taking to deliver increased access to further and higher education for members of the Traveller community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56092/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Ensuring equal access to education for all is a core priority for this Government. The Traveller and Roma Education Strategy (TRES), a key action under the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS) 2024–2028, is supporting the delivery of our Programme for Government commitment to promote equality and inclusion for Traveller and Roma communities across all levels of education.

DFHERIS is centrally involved in implementing a range of actions across several interlinked strategies and programmes to improve access, participation, and progression in further and higher education for these communities.

Under the National Access Plan (NAP) 2022–2028, Travellers and Roma are identified as underrepresented in higher education. Current data shows 40 new entrant Traveller and Roma students in 2023/24, with a target of 150 by 2028. The Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) supports this work across all strands, with PATH 5 solely focused on Traveller and Roma students. €450,000 per year is being invested under this strand, complemented by funding under PATH 2 and PATH 4 to support awareness-raising, anti-racism training, and progression initiatives.

In addition, the Traveller Apprenticeship Incentivisation Programme (TAIP) offers €3,000 bursaries to support Traveller participation in apprenticeships and €2,000 grants for employers who hire Traveller apprentices. DFHERIS also funds the Reach Fund, which supports over 700 community education projects annually, including culturally appropriate programmes for Traveller and Roma learners. SOLAS works closely with Pavee Point to promote Traveller and Roma participation in further education, allocating over €108,000 in 2025 for targeted engagement and support.

Literacy and lifelong learning remain key enablers of inclusion. The Adult Literacy for Life (ALL) Strategy 2021–2031 prioritises Travellers and Roma among 12 key groups, with the goal of reducing unmet literacy needs from 18% to 7% by 2031.

Recognising that financial barriers can hinder access, DFHERIS has implemented a dedicated Student Accommodation Assistance Scheme for Traveller and Roma students, funded through the Dormant Accounts Fund. This provides up to €6,000 per student annually to help cover accommodation costs. To date, €412,000 has been allocated to support 85 students, 64 of whom are from Traveller and Roma backgrounds. Funding has again been secured for 2025/26.

Further measures to promote equity include the new SUSI Part-Time Fee Scheme, introduced in 2024, which enables students who cannot study full-time - including those from Traveller and Roma communities - to access fee support. Applications for 2025/26 have almost tripled, with 214 awards made to date.

Finally, the forthcoming Student Accommodation Strategy will address cost and supply issues to ensure that accommodation is no longer a barrier to accessing higher education.

Together, these initiatives reflect a coherent, cross-government approach to removing structural barriers and ensuring that Traveller and Roma students can fully realise their educational potential.