Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:919. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason a DARE application (details supplied) was refused. [68546/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 29 September 2026
Ceisteanna (919)
Freagraí scríofa
The Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) is operated by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) on behalf of the higher education institutions who set the policy criteria for the scheme. Further information on IUA is available here: www.iua.ie.
Admissions under the scheme are regulated by the higher education institutions themselves. Each institution determines its own admissions policy in relation to the scheme, the number of places they reserve and the allocation of those places.
Applications to the scheme are submitted to the Central Applications Office (CAO) who coordinate the scheme on behalf of participating institutions.
As the DARE is not a Departmental scheme my Department has no responsibility or remit over the administration or the eligibility criteria, and I am not in a position to intervene on individual cases.
In a recent briefing I held in Government buildings on the HEAR and DARE schemes, representatives of the IUA advised that the most effective and timely way for students to obtain information regarding the DARE scheme is to contact the Access Office of the institution to which they are applying.
I would advise the student to contact the Access Office at the higher education institution they are hoping to attend for information on options that may be available to them under the DARE scheme.
I hope this information is of assistance and wish the student well on their educational journey.