Gary Gannon
Question:70. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to outline the supports provided to third level students with ADHD. [27060/24]
View answerTuesday, 25 June 2024
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Inclusion is one of the six strategic goals set out in my Department's Statement of Strategy. The National Access Plan has identified a number of priority-groups who are underrepresented in higher education and need additional focus, including students with ADHD.
My Department has provided funding of an additional €35 million to support the objectives of the NAP over its lifetime from 2022 to 2028, including a new PATH 4 stream, which puts a particular focus on students with a disability, including those with an intellectual disability.
PATH 4, among other things, has supported the development of inclusive, universally designed higher education environments.
The first phase of funding of €3m was distributed in the 2022/23 academic year and supported higher education institutions to embed universal design approaches and inclusive practices. This included the introduction of quiet spaces within campuses.
An additional €1.8million was announced in February of this year to continue the Phase 1 implementation of universal design. This extra funding was to assist the HEIs in providing sensory maps and assisted tours of campuses to assist those with Autism and ADHD.
In addition, the Fund for Students with a Disability also supports participation by students with disabilities including ADHD, in approved further and higher education courses in Ireland. Last December, my Department announced an increase to the annual FSD of 5% or just under €383,000. This brings the total funding available in 2024 to over €8 million (€8,040,900) in the higher education sector.
In Further Education and Training, additional investment was secured in Budget 2024 for the Fund for Students with Disability and universal design as well as the specific investment announced to support learners with an intellectual disability.
The fund administered by SOLAS for the further education and training sector will amount to €5.7m, reflecting the additional allocation of €2m to support the progressive roll-out of the Fund for Student's with Disabilities across all Further Education programmes. Some of this allocation is being used to fund the increase in the hourly rate payable to Personal Assistants in the ETBs. The overall allocation for 2024 will therefore be in the region of €13.7m compared to €11.9m in 2023.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.