Supporting students with a disability is a priority for this Government and my Department and this is reflected in both the Programme for Government and this Departments Statement of Strategy.
I recently announced at the midway point of National Access Plan (2022-2028) that the target of new entrants with a disability in Higher Education of 16% has been surpassed and is now at 16.3%. As you will be aware students with an intellectual disability have been recognised as a target group within the National Access Plan, for the first time.
This has led to the introduction of the Programme for Access to Higher Education or PATH 4 funding stream under the National Access Plan which supports the goal of enabling all learners with disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, to avail of higher education.
PATH 4, over two phases, aims to strengthen universal design for all students, including students with autism, and enhance opportunities for engagement of students with intellectual disabilities in higher education.
A total of €5.8 million has been allocated to HEIs by the HEA under PATH 4 Phase 1 since 2022. €3 million was initially allocated in 2022 under the PATH 4 Phase 1 Universal Design Fund, 2022-2024 and I was pleased to announce in 2025 that a further €2.8 million in 2025 under the PATH 4 Phase 1 Inclusive Environment Fund, 2025-2026.
This funding is provided to support institutions to continue to embed universal design principles, and to enhance a sense of belonging in higher education for the most under-represented groups.
PATH 4 Phase 2 courses for students with intellectual disabilities were announced in February 2024. The courses are specifically designed to meet the needs of students with an intellectual disability. This is a pathfinding programme with a budget of just over €11 million. These courses are designed around providing the students with opportunities to develop their personal skills for life and for employability, and to develop links with employers, and all programmes have a work experience element built in.
193 students are currently enrolled in 11 HEIs across a wide geographical spread. Initially for a two-year period, I was pleased to extend these courses earlier this year to run until at least 2028.
I have also approved funding to hire an expert to develop a common evaluation instrument for PATH 4 Phase 2. The evaluation of the programme presents an invaluable opportunity to gather aggregated data at the national level on the outcomes and lessons emerging. It will also allow us to build a robust evidence-base to inform and guide future policy development.
It is expected that the evaluation of the programme will be available at the end of 2026. This will be critical in informing the next steps so that we can meet the Programme for Government commitment of expanding PATH 4 courses in a way which best meets the needs of our students.
In Budget 2026, I also increased the budget for the Fund for Students with Disabilities in Higher Education to €10.5m per year. This fund supports over 21,000 students with disabilities each year.
In the Further Education setting each of Ireland’s 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) provide Further Education and Training (FET) opportunities for learners with intellectual disabilities.
ETBs deliver a range of programmes specifically for learners with additional learning needs. Under Specialist Training Provision (STP), for example, the 16 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 €44.8m to ETBs for STP, including approximately €18.5m for learner allowances.
Mainstream FET programmes, such as adult literacy, community education and PLC courses, are also accessible to all learners, including those with intellectual disabilities, subject to standard eligibility requirements. Provision is available in every community across Ireland and spans a wide range of learning, from unaccredited and Level 1 to Level 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications.
In support of this, SOLAS, ETBI, ETBs and AHEAD have done considerable work in recent years to develop staff and organisational capacity to use Universal Design for Learning and provide Reasonable Accommodations. This includes professional learning and resources for FET practitioners, which are widely used across the sector.
Through SOLAS, my Department provides resources to support accessibility in FET, including the Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD), which funds supports such as assistive technology and non-medical assistance, mainly for PLC courses. A new Transport Fund for Learners with Intellectual Disabilities, introduced under the FSD, is being piloted in 2026 and is already enhancing access. Including this new Fund, €7.7 million has been allocated to the FSD in FET in 2026.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
