Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 April 2026
1296. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the funding streams available for institutions to implement universal design for learning; the amount of funding that was provided in the past five years; what that funding was spent on. [30109/26]
View answerThe fourth National Access Plan: A Strategic Action Plan for Equity of Access, Participation and Success in Higher Education 2022-2028, builds on the vision of previous plans and ambitions for a more inclusive and diverse student population in higher education.
In January 2021, DFHERIS approved a suite of strategic initiatives aimed at supporting students with disabilities. The initiatives encompassed 24 institutions with over €5.7m of funding provided, focused on the strategic development of disability support services in HEIs as well as enhancing support for students with a disability, improving college campuses and assisting HEI staff with training and development.
Included in this funding provided up to December 2022 was a commitment to the embedding of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and mainstreaming principles in HEI teaching and learning practices through e.g. recruitment of staff, staff training, technological supports and other student supports.
The Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) delivers five strands (PATH 1 – 5) that work together to widen participation and support student success. These interventions are increasing participation, improving student success, and embedding more inclusive practices across the higher education system.
During 2022, a total of €3 million was allocated (the PATH 4 Phase 1 Universal Design Fund, 2022-2024) to support the further embedding of Universal Design (UD) approaches and inclusive practices in HEIs to the benefit of all students, in particular neuro-diverse students, and to enable building of capacity for greater participation by students with intellectual disabilities in higher education.
Key initiatives funded under the Universal Design Fund: Teaching, Learning and Assessment; Staff Capacity and Institutional; Embedding Digital Environment; Built Environment; Student Supports and National Collaboration; and the adoption of the Altitude Charter.
In 2025, I announced that €2.8m was to be committed via the PATH 4 Phase 1 Inclusive Environment Fund, 2025-2026, to support institutions to continue to advance and build on progress towards embedding UD and inclusion, and to enhance a sense of belonging in higher education for the most under-represented groups.
Within the suite of planned activities in project plans, HEIs are encouraged to prioritise implementation of the findings and recommendations within the final report of the Joint Committee on Autism (2023), including in respect of the development of sensory maps and providing more autism-friendly tours of campuses throughout the year where these are not already in place.
The additional funding builds on the achievements of previous PATH 4 Phase 1 investment to further support enhanced participation and success for students, in particular those who may face additional barriers to engaging in higher education, such as students with disabilities and ethnic minority students.
Almost €450,000 of the Inclusive Environment Fund was specifically ringfenced to tackle prejudice and racism, in particular towards members of the Irish Traveller and Roma communities.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
