Adjournment Debate. - Institutes of Technology. – Dáil Éireann (28th Dáil) – Tuesday, 17 Oct 2000

Adjournment Debate. - Institutes of Technology.

Mr. Farrelly:

I thank the Chair for allowing me to raise this issue. There is a total of 6,000 apprentices studying in institutes of technology, many of whom have come through FÁS. Dundalk Institute of Technology is the one nearest where I live. It has become evident that there is a serious dispute between the Department of Education and Science and officials of institutes of technology about the status of the examination which takes place at the end of each year of the apprenticeship. This test is regarded by the Department as an assessment. On this basis, in its interpretation, those who correct the assessment should not be paid. On the other hand, the lecturers who correct what they regard as an examination paper believe they should be compensated and paid for their work in the same way as those who correct the leaving and junior certificate papers given that the same level of study and commitment is involved.

The Department has allowed this problem to develop and fester over a period of four years. This is unacceptable. When the mother of one of the apprentices involved – she contacted me about the issue six to eight weeks ago – contacted the Department this morning to ascertain whether it would take action on the correcting of individual assessments or examination papers, she was informed by a departmental official that the Department stands by its principles; in other words, there will be no surrender. The Department is not prepared to deal with the issue and sort the matter out.

I hope the Minister for Education and Science, the Ministers of State at that Department and officials realise the pressures the young people concerned are under to complete their apprenticeship, especially those who have had to repeat a year, all of whom are awaiting results for the previous apprenticeship year. They are pawns between the Department and institutes of technology. This should not be the case.

I have been informed by a person who used to correct the leaving and junior certificate papers that they were paid £1.10 per examination paper; this may have increased to £2 or £2.50 per paper. Taking into consideration the number of papers involved and the fact that the Department of Finance will take back 42% by way of the taxation system, we are talking about a very small sum of money. It is unacceptable, therefore, that the Department is standing by its principles. As the lady whom I mentioned said to me this morning, is it any wonder that so many young people commit suicide given the stupidity of the Department in standing by its principles with the result that examination papers in Dundalk Institute of Technology are not being corrected because of a few measly pounds?

Hundreds of young people are wanted in the construction industry. As up to eight months have passed, some of the apprentices concerned are now saying to their parents that they are thinking of emigrating and leaving all this behind. Does the Minister of State have any intention of solving this problem? I do not want her to read a script prepared by an official in which it is stated that the Department is standing by its principles. I want action on behalf of those who contacted me about this issue. The delay in dealing with it is unacceptable.

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science (Ms Hanafin):

Ar son an Aire, Deputy Woods, tá áthas orm an cheist seo a fhreagairt, to respond to the issues raised by the Deputy and to clarify the Department's position on this matter. The Department is aware that results of phase 4 assessments have been withheld in some institutes of technology in a number of apprenticeship grades.

The standards based apprenticeship system currently in place was introduced in 1993 following extensive consultations between the social partners and other interested parties. It replaced the old time served model and is based on the attainment by apprentices of industry agreed standards.

The operational arrangements relating to the assessment and certification of apprentices studying under this standards based system were agreed by an interdepartmental committee representative of the Department of Education and Science, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Dublin Institute of Technology, the then regional technical colleges and FÁS. These operational arrangements were set out in a letter from the Department to the various institutes of technology in December 1995. The arrangements clearly stated that assessment for phase 4 would consist of two occasions of testing and that a terminal examination would only apply at the end of phase 6 of the apprenticeship system. The latter would be the only situation in which payment for an examination as part of the apprenticeship system would be made.

In August 1999 it was brought to the attention of the Department that certain institutes of technology were conducting both occasions of phase 4 testing at the end of phase 4 and as such some institutes are of the view that this constitutes a terminal examination. The Department subsequently issued circular letter IT 9/99 on the assessment regulations governing phase 4 procedures reiterating the position as set out in 1995. All directors of institutes of technology and the president of the Dublin Institute of Technology were directed to ensure the sanctioned arrangements were complied with. Notwithstanding this direction, the Department has been advised that in latter months certain phase 4 assessment results have been withheld by staff in the institutes who are TUI members seeking examination payments in respect of this testing. Every effort is being made by the Department to resolve this dispute.

Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 17 Oct 2000