2026-04-23

251. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress made to resolve employment issues of personal assistants who work in some education and training boards and further and higher education centres; the timeline for when the issue is expected to be resolved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22072/26]

I ask the Minister to outline the progress in resolving the employment issues of personal assistants, an issue we have dealt with previously. He has met with me and a number of these personal assistants who work in ETBs and further and higher education centres. What is the timeline for when the issue is expected to be resolved? Will the Minister make a statement on that matter now? I am aware that a WRC proposal is in play but I am not sure there is absolute joy in relation to it. If he could give me an update, I will come back in then.

I can give a very good answer in a minute or I can give the Deputy an answer off the top of my head right away. I do have any prepared answers left. We are beyond the range of questions that are normally reached. I am very much aware of that situation. I have met the group with the Deputy in Leinster |House and we have had some good conversations. A disability demonstration project is under way in my Department, the purpose of which is to fathom the appropriate level of supports available to adult learners within the third level and further education system. It may not be a direct correlation to perhaps an SNA-type role that we would see within the second level or primary school system because there has to be a degree of autonomy, dignity and recognition that the young adult may not be as keen to have a companion at all times in a way that a student at a junior level might. The actual nature and parameters of it are a little bit complex and require understanding. There are multiple other supports from assistive technology through to different schemes. I increased the student assistance fund to €19 million this year, the highest it has ever been. It has a discretionary allocation within it that welfare officers and access officers in colleges can use to support students with a particular need. I appreciate that the question the Deputy is asking goes to the workers of his constituency, and the wider group whom I have met and engaged with. My proposal is to engage with the Deputy offline on that in terms of the latest development. It has been through the WRC, as he mentioned. I do not want to say too much on the Dáil record for fear of interfering with the industrial relations process, but we might engage on that offline.

I thank the Minister. We definitely will. The stakeholders are the Department, the education and training boards, and Fórsa on behalf of the workers. This issue has been ongoing for considerable time. I took it to the Tánaiste when he was Minister for further education. An element was dealt with in that the pay rate per hour was improved. It was a considerable percentage because it was a very low base. The big thing for them was the 52-week contract. These are people who are facilitating those who have challenging or further needs to stay in the educational sector and in further education. That is an absolute requirement. In relation to the disability project, a proposal is in front of them. It is not a 52-week contract, which is the big thing. The Minister knows that issue of applying for social protection is a huge issue. He might comment on the disability project, the outworking of that and how it may facilitate both those who need the help and those who are working in a scenario that is far from perfect.

There are a number of different ways in which I can assist students with challenges in navigating the educational system. One cohort of such students are those with intellectual disabilities who are engaged in further education and training programmes. I became aware of a lacuna in the system last year when a case was presented to me. There was no transport system available for those students to avail of learning within their own areas, which often meant a parent had to take time off. Perhaps they could not even take up a job or work outside the home because the student was entirely dependent on that parent to bring them up and down to the place of learning. Those places of learning were somewhat unique and specialist and not necessarily available in every town or village. It is typically one or two per county. I intervened in that regard and made a sum available - €2 million, in fact - through SOLAS, which has been disbursed to the ETBs. This now means a transport scheme is available for those learners with intellectual disabilities to take up their FET place within the system. The funds have been made available to the ETBs. My Department has issued guidance as to how that should be operated. I hope that will make a meaningful impact for those learners and their families.

We all realise the supports that are required, from reasonable accommodation to assistive technology. In some cases, students need added supports such as personal assistants. I do not see it as something that is changing. I accept that it creates a difficulty given that a proposal is in front of workers at the minute. I will deal with the Minister offline about that. There will be issues with pay and conditions, but the 52-week contract was a fundamental issue and is the reason there has not been huge retention in the area. Again, it is about providing the supports that work for those students who need added supports to stay in education, particularly in third level. It is also about providing people with a decent contract and decent pay. Even if this is accepted, I could not think that this will be a solution to the problem.

As I said, I am aware of the issue and am very much engaged with the Deputy and the workers on it. We have had good meetings with them. The Deputy engaged with my predecessor on the matter in a similarly constructive fashion. I thank him for the approach he has taken to it. While we are talking about the assistance provided through those very diligent workers that the Deputy represents and those to whom he has introduced me in his area and other parts of the country, we also have work to do around the transitions from education into the workplace. Many learners with intellectual of physical difficulties have said to me - I have met a variety of groups - that they are managing to navigate the education system, but it is about actually getting a job. It is about getting the dignity at work at the far side. That is fundamental. I am working with my colleague the Minister, Deputy Calleary, on that and on the pathways. My Department is investing significantly. A number of officials are looking at a project around that to support that transition journey so that they will find an employer that is suited to their requirements and so we can make that journey work for all.

That is absolutely necessary. We will need to sort this out, particularly for personal assistants in DIFE, Ó Fiaich, Cavan and beyond.