asked the Minister for Education if the site for the national physical education college has been purchased; and, if so, when it is expected that the college will open
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Physical Education College.
37.
An additional 51 acres have been acquired adjacent to the site at Plassy previously purchased for the Institute of Higher Education. The institute together with the National College of Physical Education will be developed on the combined site of 124 acres. It is expected that the college will be operative by January, 1973.
Will there be an association between the college and the Limerick institute? What will be the expected intake of students and will the course be a degree course?
I should like to say that this plan was no part of the original proposal to establish an institute in Limerick and accordingly it should be noted by those who are concerned in that area that this is an addition to the educational plans for the Limerick complex. It will, as I have said, be built on the same site and it will have an association with the institute, which of course cannot be worked out at this stage until the whole board of directors are appointed. With regard to the second part of the Deputy's supplementary it is intended to have a university type qualification at the end of the course. The number of students involved will be in the region of 400.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary define what is a university type qualification?
This would be recognised as being equivalent, after an equivalent course of studies, to a university degree. For instance, a course which would have the characteristics of the academic course plus the pedagogic training which would be undertaken at H.Dip. level would be the equivalent of a university type course and one would presume that the qualification at the end would have the same status as a university degree.