UCD

The New Equal Right to Access (ERA) programme was set up as a result of research initiated in 1994. According to the Osborne report, ERA focuses on the student in the context of family, community, school and university. Some 20 schools in seven communities are involved. The programme includes financial supports for students attending educational courses, student shadowing and tutoring and a one-week university based summer school for pre- and post-Junior Cert students. UCD offers a direct-entry scheme. Some 70 places, distributed across all faculties, on a pro-rata basis, are available to students from ERA schools. Undergraduates from ERA participate in a two-week, full-time summer school. They receive top-up grants, additional tutorials and academic mentoring. Last year, just under 3,000 pupils participated in the scheme and a total of 40 students were admitted to UCD - 29 by direct entry and 11 via the CAO.

TCD

The Trinity Access Programme (TAP) consists of three strands - two schemes aimed at school-leavers and one for adults. TCD works with 11 schools in areas of considerable disadvantage and targets students in years 2 to 6 and TCD students from TAP schools. Supports include direct financial supports to students and schools, workshops, summer schools and mentoring. Full-time foundation courses are aimed at adults and school-leavers. Students receive financial support and mentoring. The most recent information from TAP is that it is currently supporting 149 students. According to the Osborne report, 67 TAP students have entered TCD since 1995.

UCC

UCC'S Access to Third Level programme was introduced in 1996. A main aim of the initiative is to motivate and provide educational and financial assistance to enable disadvantaged students to go to third level, Osborne says.

The college offers a number of direct-entry places in all faculties, school visits to UCC, extra teaching, courses and projects and a parent programme.

Last year, 950 pupils participated in the scheme and 20 of these got into UCC.

NUI Galway

Galway's access initiative began in 1997 and includes direct financial support to students. Its main thrust is the 21-week full-time course aimed at disadvantaged students who have either failed to obtain a place through CAO or are without a Leaving Cert. The course, Osborne says, includes student mentoring. Selection is by interview, with criteria based on socio-economic factors. Students who successfully complete the course may enter NUI Galway via direct entry.

Last year, all 13 student on the access course made it into NUI Galway undergraduate programmes.

NUI Maynooth

Maynooth's access programme involves a collaboration with five schools from socially and economically disadvantaged areas. Last year, 37 students participated in the programme and 10 entered NUI Maynooth as undergraduates.

According to the HEA report, the programme involves student shadowing and mentoring, a two-week orientation programme for students entering university and personal and financial supports.

UL

UL is linked with the LCBEI, which has been running in the parish of Southill since 1991. A full-time access officer was appointed to UL in 1999 and the university has developed links with seven designated schools. The school's programme involves supervised study, extra tutorials, student shadowing and college visits, the Osborne report notes. At third level, students receive top-up grants and personal supports. Since 1993, 16 LCBEI students have taken up UL places.

DCU

The North Dublin Access (NDA) programme, launched in 1996, is aimed at school leavers from targeted schools. DCU works closely with the Ballymun Initiative for Third Level Education (BITE). Outreach programmes, direct entry for up to 50 students, summer schools, free accommodation for up to 20 students and student support are among the programme's features. Since 1997, 80 students have entered DCU via the NDA initiative.

The IT sector

"The Clancy report shows that the ITs have been successful in terms of recruiting people from a range of socio-economic groups," says Cork IT's registrar, Brendan Goggin. According to Clancy, more than 4 per cent of students entering ITs in 1998 came from unskilled manual backgrounds, compared with just under 2 per cent in the universities.

In the mid-1990s, the Council of Directors of ITs established the RTC Equality Network to encourage women into education. This is now being reconstituted as the IT Equality Network, with a wider brief. The £1.5 million allocated, last year, to third-level access and retention initiatives means that by the year's end every IT will have an access officer.

A number of colleges have been working on access issues - the provision of foundation courses and links with schools, for example - for several years, according to Goggin. Cork IT established its Educational Opportunities Centre in 1992. Goggin is compiling a report on access initiatives in the IT sector.