This research took place at one Irish Higher Education Institute and explored the perceptions of staff in a variety of roles with regard to inclusive education. The purpose of this research is to explore attitudes toward inclusive education, as well as how inclusion manifests in teaching and learning practice within the Institute. The selected institute recorded the highest rate of participation of students with disabilities at 10.2% (AHEAD, 2018) and thus is a compelling site for this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 staff members. The staff represented management, lecturers and support services. Staff were asked about their understanding of inclusive education, how it is represented within the institute, and to discuss how they perceive supports for and barriers to fostering inclusion within the Institute. The results of these interviews were analysed in the context of the most recently published institutional strategic plan. The conceptual framework for the study is Rouse’s (2006) knowing, believing and doing related to inclusion and inclusive practice. Specifically, the framework provides that inclusion depends on educators ‘knowing’ about theory, policy and legislation; ‘doing’ being the application of that knowledge; and ‘believing’ in the role in the inclusive practice to support learners in their education. The study finds that staff have an inconsistent understanding of inclusive education which leads to challenges in teaching and learning applications. Whilst there is an appetite for professional development in this area there are concerns as to the efficacy of offered supports and the scale by which such support will be utilized by staff. Analysis of the strategic plan, together with interview data, reveals a perceived mismatch in the pursuit of higher education elitism versus true inclusion. The strategic plan’s advocacy for policy and action to promote inclusion is perceived to be inconsistent with the perceptions of staff as to how policy is formed and implemented within the institute.