Vol. 473 No. 4
330 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Education the criteria adopted by the CAO for including private colleges on its computer database; is she intends to extend the number of private colleges which can be considered by the CAO; if she will give details of the relationship between the NCEA and courses designated by it for private colleges and the CAO office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1116/97]
The Central Applications Office (CAO) is a private company limited by guarantee-non-profit making, which processes applications centrally on behalf of its member institutions, namely the universities, the Colleges of Education, the Regional Technical Colleges, the Dublin Institute of Technology and the Higher Education Authority. The CAO also makes its services available to nonmember institutions.
I understand that the CAO has agreed to allow a number of private colleges avail of its services with effect from the 1998-99 academic year, in respect of courses offered by these colleges which are validated by the National Council for Education Awards or the Universities.
My Department does not have any function in relation to the arrangements operated by the CAO and the question of any extension of its services, is a matter for the CAO.
