Resources

Right. I won't even try to make a complete list of necessary or available resources: it's far too much for one person. However, I will try to get the ball rolling.
Some of the obstacles to further education can be broken down to: funds, priorities (Family, job, etc.), re-adjusting to student life/learning.


Re-adjusting to student life and learning:
http://www.mic.ul.ie/lsu/index.htm
The LSU was established in 1997 with the aim of providing academic support to students taking a degree at Mary Immaculate College. The centre aims to improve the quality of learning by supporting students in the transition to third-level study. It has information / tips on writing, reading, presentations, examination technique, time management.

http://www.ul.ie/careers/careers/mature/toptips.shtml
General tips.


Priorities:
http://www.workfamily.com/
Information about work-life issues (UK website)


Know your rights and what should be available:

http://www.aontas.com/
AONTAS is the Irish National Association of Adult Education, a voluntary membership organisation. It exists to promote the development of a learning society through the provision of a quality and comprehensive system of adult learning and education which is accessible to and inclusive to all.

http://www.education.ie/
Department of Education and Science


http://www.fas.ie/services_to_businesses/lifelong_learning.htm
Lifelong learning...

http://www.entemp.ie/
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

http://www.equality.ie/
The Equality Authority is an independent body set up under the Employment Equality Act 1998. It was established on 18th October 1999.
The Equality Authority replaced the Employment Equality Agency, and has a greatly expanded role and functions. The Employment Equality Act, 1998 and the Equal Status Act, 2000 outlaw discrimination in employment, vocational training, advertising, collective agreements, the provision of goods and services and other opportunities to which the public generally have access on nine distinct grounds.


http://www.fetac.ie/
Further Education and Training Awards Council

http://www.cao.ie
(Limited) Application process information.

FETAC (Further Education and Training Awards Council) lots of further links within.

Students with Disabilities
http://www.aheadweb.org/home/pages/category/faq
Association of Higher Education Access and Disability (AHEAD) FAQ

Maintenance Grant Scheme
CitizensInformation

MyGrant.ie

Students with Disabilities
Citizen's Information

Advice for anyone getting back to work/education/training
Department of Social & Family Affairs


Back to Education Allowance
Department of Social & Family Affairs

Department of Education & Science

Details of the scheme (PDF)


Student Assistance Fund
This is a fund which is administered on a confidential and discretionary basis in each college to help students who are in a sensitive and compassionate manner who might otherwise, because of financial reasons, suffer hardship or be unable to continue their third-level studies.

Information here and here.


Millennium Partnership Fund
The objective of the Fund is to support students from disadvantaged areas with regard to retention and participation in further and Higher Education courses.

Some basic information is available here, but most information should be available from your local partnership/community group.


Mature Student Societies
Trinity College, Dublin: http://societies.csc.tcd.ie/~mature/

Mature Student Office(r)

Trinity College, Dublin: http://www.tcd.ie/Senior_Lecturer/ao/aomso.php

UL: http://www.ul.ie/mso/index.html


Access Programmes
DCU: http://www.dcu.ie/students/access/index.shtml

Trinity College, Dublin: http://www.tcd.ie/Trinity_Access/index.php

UCD: http://www.ucd.ie/newera/


Student Disability Services

DCU: http://www.dcu.ie/students/disability/index.shtml

NUIG: http://www.nuigalway.ie/disability/

Trinity College, Dublin: http://www.tcd.ie/disability/

UCC: http://www.ucc.ie/services/dss/

UCD: http://www.ucd.ie/disability/

UL: http://www.ul.ie/mso/dis.html


Access Programmes

NUI Galway: http://www.nuigalway.ie/access/

NUI Maynooth: http://access.nuim.ie/

UCC: http://www.ucc.ie/access/

UL: http://www.ul.ie/access/content/view/4/27/

IT Carlow: http://www.itcarlow.ie/facilities/serv_access.html

Tipp Inst: http://www.tippinst.ie/cs/support/access_office.htm


Student Disability Services

NUI Maynooth; AIT; DIT; IT Tralee; IT Sligo; IT Blanchardstown; Letterkenny IT; IT Tallaght (Access & Disability);

Mature Student Entry Information
http://www.qualifax.ie/mature_entry/mature_students.html

Qualifax: National Courses Database
http://www.qualifax.ie/?Mainsec=courses&Subsec=search_courses&action=reset&CSH_ID=18


National Co-ordination Unit for Senior Traveller Training Centres
http://www.sttc.ie/welcome.html (by-passes annoying flash)

National Centre for Guidance in Education
http://www.ncge.ie/adult_guidance.htm


Youthreach - http://www.youthreach.ie/
The programme is directed at unemployed young early school leavers aged 15-20. It offers participants the opportunity to identify and pursue viable options within adult life, and provides them with opportunities to acquire certification. It operates on a full-time, year-round basis.

Teagasc - http://www.teagasc.ie/training/thirdlevelcourses.htm & http://www.oasis.gov.ie/education/adult_and_vocational_education/teagasc.html
Teagasc is Ireland's National Agriculture and Food Development Authority. It provides a range of services, which include advice, research, education and training, to the agricultural and food industries.

irishnursingstudents.com
nursingstudents.eu

Tax Relief on Third-Level Fees
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/education/third-level-education/fees-and-supports-for-third-level-education/tax_relief_third_level_fees

Myth wrote:

Student Disability Services
IT Sligo;

IT Sligo have updated their website, so the Disability Office webpage is now located here: http://www.itsligo.ie/current_students/disabilities.html

Similarly, their page for Mature Students is here: http://www.itsligo.ie/current_students/maturestudents.html

And for 'students from communities with no tradition of participation in third level education', the page is here: http://www.itsligo.ie/current_students/communities.html

Letterkenny IT;

Eh, somehow I got this link wrong before, it links to a BSc in Intellectural Disability (!) - the correct link is here (Access Office): http://www.lyit.ie/student/access/access_index.htm

Myth wrote:

Access Programmes
UL: http://www.ul.ie/access/content/view/4/27/

Seems to have died a death as well, the link to the Access Office is here: http://www.ul.ie/mso/access.html

IT Carlow: http://www.itcarlow.ie/facilities/serv_access.html

Updated link: http://www.itcarlow.ie/curr_access_initiative.asp?top_section=1&lower_section=2&lower2_section=6&sel_sect=21&uid=itcarlow

http://www.ucd.ie/maturesoc

Mature Student Blog about the Top-up Grant:
www.maturestudentsireland.blogspot.com

Please, keep adding (Or point out mistakes made)...