Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2026
1509. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the further education, training, life-skills and supported employment pathways that are available for young people with Down syndrome or additional needs after secondary school in County Roscommon and County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39491/26]
View answerMy Department prioritises the inclusion of learners with additional needs across further and higher education. This work aligns with the Programme for Government, the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025–2030, and the Further Education and Training (FET) Strategy 2026–2030.
Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB) have confirmed to my officials that all FET programmes in Galway and Roscommon are open to learners with additional needs, subject to standard entry requirements. GRETB provides tailored supports to learners with a wide range of needs through FET colleges and centres, and also its centralised learner support and assistive technology team. GRETB’s Fund for Learners with Disabilities, which supports mainly learners on Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses, and learner support and assistance funding, resources the supports and services that learners need. Universal Design for Learning and reasonable accommodations are being embedded across all GRETB’s FET provision to ensure accessibility is a core principle.
GRETB has advised that it offers a wide range of courses across the region which are particularly suited to the learner cohort in question. These include programmes such as Art, Digital Photography, and General Learning Level 1 in East Galway Adult to Farming-Themed Literacy Level 2 in North Connemara and Self-Advocacy at QQI Level 3 in South Roscommon.
GRETB’s Community Education team also supports this cohort through both grant funding to third-party providers, such as Ability West, which deliver tailored community education programmes, and through direct provision. These programmes cover a diverse range of areas, including Drama, Podcasting, Sustainability, and the Environment.
Finally, GRETB funds the National Learning Network (NLN) to deliver Specialist Training Provision in Galway and Roscommon, with 56 places in Galway and 36 in Roscommon. Specialist Training Provision delivers training for learners who require more intensive support than is typically available in mainstream FET settings.
