It is a Programme for Government commitment to “continue with, and expand, the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education”. Equity of access to higher education is a fundamental principle of Irish education policy and a priority for the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Higher Education Authority. The core policy principle is that people should have equity of access to education independent of their socioeconomic background, ethnicity, gender, geographical location, disability or other circumstances.