Trinity College Dublin marked 20 years of the Trinity Access Programme (TAP) yesterday.

TAP focuses on increasing the proportion of students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds progressing to higher education.

Ripples of Hope – The Family and Community Impact of Trinity College Dublin Access Graduates by Dr Michelle Share and Carmel Carrolshows the positive impact within the family when the first generation participates in third-level education.

It was launched yesterday by Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn, who praised TAP for its significant role in widening participation in higher education.

“Today’s report is a testament to how effective the access programmes have been over the past 20 years in the graduates’ pathway to Trinity, their experience there, and the life-changing experience it has been,” said Mr Quinn.

Trinity TAP graduates come from areas underrepresented in higher education such as Tallaght, Walkinstown, Ballyfermot and Cabra; 75 per cent of TAP Trinity graduates were the first in their family to attend Trinity and 38 per cent reported their mother’s highest level of education as primary.

Mr Quinn described the TAP students as “beacons of hope” in their communities and said they inspired others to achieve their education potential.

Most TAP students enter Trinity with lower than usual Leaving Certificate points but the majority surveyed for the report had a 2.1 degree.

Dani Hersee, a final year English studies student, from Tallaght is a TAP student. “I’m dyslexic, so when I was younger I became really determined to overcome it. I love my course and the lecturers here are brilliant and so passionate.”