4173. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the funding available to bodies under his remit supporting people from disadvantaged areas to attend third-level education; to provide a detailed breakdown for any initiatives which his Department has responsibility for in that regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54912/26]

The National Access Plan (NAP) 2022-2028 sets out the ambition to support inclusion and diversity in the student body in Higher Education. This is a seven-year plan with an additional dedicated investment of €35 million. The Plan is managed by the HEA on behalf of the Department.

The Plan has identified a number of priority-groups who continue to be underrepresented in higher education:

• Students who are socio-economically disadvantaged

• Students who are members of Irish Traveller and Roma communities

• Students with disabilities including intellectual disabilities.

PATH

The Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) is the main funding stream that supports the implementation of the NAP. PATH is delivered through five strands that work together to widen participation and support student success.

PATH 1 supports access to Initial Teacher Education (ITE). Last year, I announced the transition of PATH 1 from a pilot initiative to a sustainable multi-annual funding stream to support the successful participation of priority group students in ITE. The annual funding for this strand of PATH is €900,000

PATH 2 - 1916 Bursary plays a critical role in enabling students from disadvantaged backgrounds to enter and succeed in higher education, complementing the wider suite of student financial supports. In 2025/26: over 1,500 new bursaries have been allocated. (Table attached below)

PATH 3, or the Higher Education Access Fund, was established to support HEIs to develop regional and community partnership strategies for increasing access to higher education by underrepresented groups. I also announced last year that, I was moving PATH 3 from a pilot initiative to a sustainable multi-annual funding stream. The annual funding for this strand of PATH is €2,500,000

It is estimated that as a result of PATH 3 projects over 1,400 community partners have been engaged with, facilitating access for approximately 22,000 students through outreach, in-reach, and mentorship activities.

PATH 4 Phase 1: In 2022, €3 million was allocated to HEIs by the HEA under the PATH 4 Phase 1 Universal Design Fund, implemented between 2022 and 2024. The purpose of this funding was to support the embedding of Universal Design approaches and inclusive practices in HEIs to the benefit of all students, in particular neurodiverse students, and to enable building of capacity for greater participation by students with intellectual disabilities in higher education.

A further €2.8 million was committed by DFHERIS in to promote inclusion and to support increased participation and success for students in higher education via the Inclusive Environment Fund. This funding will support HEIs to build on progress towards embedding universal design and inclusion up to the end of 2026. Just under €450,000 of this has been specifically ringfenced to tackle prejudice and racism, in particular towards members of the Irish Traveller and Roma communities, cohorts that are significantly under-represented in higher education in Ireland.

PATH 4 Phase 2 (2023-2026) – Enhancement of course provision in Higher Education for students with intellectual disabilities, a three-year pathfinding pilot initiative to support the provision of higher education courses for students with intellectual disabilities and to inform future policy considerations in respect of the successful participation of the students in higher education, including an understanding on how engagement in higher education can support real outcomes, including employment.

Under PATH 4 Phase 2, over €11m has been allocated to 11 HEIs to provide courses. In total, 193 students have enrolled in PATH 4 Phase 2 funded programmes and positive outcomes to date for institutions extend beyond the sphere of teaching and learning, to enhancing the accessibility of the built and digital environments. There has been a high demand for these programmes, with many prospective students querying the availability of places in the 2026/2027 academic year.

Earlier this year I extended the PATH 4 Phase 2 pathfinding pilot scheme to the end of academic year 2027/28

I also recently approved funding to hire an expert to develop a Common Evaluation Instrument for PATH 4 Phase 2, with a report expected before the end of the year. The evaluation of the programme presents an invaluable opportunity to gather data at the national level on the outcomes and lessons emerging.

PATH 5 was established as a three-year (2023-2025) pilot to support access, participation and success for students from the Traveller and Roma communities with dedicated funding of €1.35million. The roll out of PATH 5 puts an increased emphasis on support Traveller & Roma participation. This programme has been extended for 2026 while we await the report from the initial 3-year pilot, which will guide us on the future direction of PATH 5.

Students Assistance Fund

Any student in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need or socio-economic disadvantage can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund (SAF). The SAF has a dual focus and is designed to support students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds with ongoing needs for financial support and to also provide emergency financial assistance for other students.

SAF is available to students attending full or part-time courses leading to a higher education award (NQF level 6-10) in approved educational institutes. A students individual circumstances and financial means will be taken into consideration by the Higher Education Institution (HEI) they attend, when assessing an application to the Fund. The SAF fund for the 2025/26 academic year was increased to over €19.3 million which is an increase of €260K on the previous year. This fund supports over 22,000 students annually.

Fund for Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities are supported through the Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) which allocates funding to HEIs for the provision of services and supports to full- and part-time students with disabilities. The FSD aims to ensure that students with disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, have the necessary supports and equipment to enable them to access, fully participate in and successfully complete their chosen course of study. In Budget 2026 I increased funding by €1m bringing the total annual fund in higher education to over €10.5m. Last year, the FSD supported over 19,500 students. (Table attached below)