Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 November 2024
1304. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the full economic cost of EDI initiatives in the third-level sector on an annual basis, inclusive of staff time spent on such initiatives; if a cost-benefit analysis has been conducted to ascertain the value-for-money of this expenditure of core Exchequer funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44171/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has put equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of its work since it was established in 2020. The Department’s Statement of Strategy, 2023-25, has the goal to Support Inclusion as one of its six Strategic Goals.
This means striving to ensure that learners all across the third level system are enabled to access the supports they require, in particular to meet the needs of vulnerable learners, people with disabilities and those from a background of disadvantage. The National Access Plan sets out targets for access by groups which are traditionally under-represented in higher education.
It is my fundamental belief that Ireland can only thrive if everyone, regardless of their background, age, gender, or address, is able to pursue and achieve their best potential, including through engagement with the third level sector as best fits them and their needs.
Equality, diversity and inclusion efforts need to be interwoven into Ireland’s overall work with, and significant programme of investment into, the third level sector, and, for this reason, it would not be possible to disaggregate the cost of specific EDI initiatives in a central, comprehensive manner.
The Higher Education Authority has, since August 2020, a Centre of Excellence for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. The Centre has 1 Assistant Principal, 2 Senior Executive Officers, 1 Executive Officer, an additional Senior Executive Officer funded by EU project funding, and a head of function which is shared across EDI, International and Communications. The Centre’s work seeks to advance gender equality, race equality, and end sexual violence, in the third level sector.
In terms of staffing, recurrent funding is allocated to the Higher Education Authority for direct disbursement to HEA funded higher education institutions. As autonomous bodies, the internal disbursement of funding is a matter for individual higher education institutions. However, it should be noted that, following the 2016 Review of Gender Equality in Irish HEIs, it was recommended that each HEI appoint a vice-president for equality as a member of the executive management team. For the 2022-2023 academic year, all HEIs that report to the HEA on EDI indicated that this role or equivalent is in place in their institution.
Some of the reviews which have taken place and relate to initiatives on equality, diversity and inclusion, include a) the Second Review of Gender Equality in Irish HEIs, which was published in November 2022, and, b) the recent completion of the review of the Senior Academic Leadership Initiative. Additionally, the Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment Framework for Higher Education Institutions will be reviewed during 2025. It is also intended that work to advance race equality in the higher education sector will be reviewed upon completion of the Race Equality Implementation Plan.
