Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2026
1510. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the programmes delivered through GRETB for young people with additional needs leaving post-primary education; the number of places available; and if demand exceeds capacity. [39492/26]
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.
A range of programmes and supports are available across the FET sector to support this goal.
Under Specialist Training Provision (STP), the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) provide grant funding to third-party organisations to deliver training for learners who require more intensive support than is typically available in mainstream FET settings.
In 2025, SOLAS allocated €44.8 million to ETBs for the STP programme, including approximately €18.5 million for learner allowances. 2,760 learners participated in the programme that year.
Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB) funds the National Learning Network (NLN) to deliver STP in Galway and Roscommon, with 56 places in Galway and 36 in Roscommon. GRETB has advised that current demand is lower than the number of available places in both counties.
GRETB have confirmed 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. Universal Design for Learning and reasonable accommodations are being embedded across all GRETB’s FET provision to ensure accessibility is a core principle.
My Department, through SOLAS, provides various resources to the ETBs to enable them to make FET accessible to all learners. This includes the Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD), which enables ETBs to provide supports and services such as assistive technology and non-medical assistance. It is currently focused mainly on Post-Leaving Certificate courses.
In Budget 2026, I secured €2 million for a new Transport Fund for Learners with Intellectual Disabilities. This fund is being piloted in 2026 as part of the FSD and it is already improving access to FET nationwide. In total, €7.7 million has been allocated to the FSD, including this new transport initiative, in 2026.
