Vol. 544 No. 2
29 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans to have Waterford Institute of Technology upgraded to the status of university in the foreseeable future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28243/01]
There are no plans to change the status of Waterford Institute of Technology. In July 1996, the Government approved in principle the recommendations in the report of the steering committee on the future development of higher education as a benchmark for future planning in the sector subject to regular review. The steering committee report endorsed the maintenance of a diversified system of higher education to meet the varying needs of students, society and the economy. The report did not recommend any change in status of institutes of technology.
Subsequent to the publication of the steering committee's report arrangements were put in place for a process to enable institutes of technology to apply for delegated authority to make awards within a national qualifications framework.
The Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, 1999, provides for the establishment of three new bodies: the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, the Further Education and Training Awards Council, FETAC, and the Higher Education and Training Awards Council, HETAC. I established the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland on a statutory basis in February last and the new awarding councils were established in June last.
Section 29 of the Act provides for the delegation of authority from the Higher Education and Training Awards Council, HETAC, within the framework of qualifications, to an institute of technology to make awards following a review of the Institute concerned. In accordance with the provisions of section 29(8) of the Act, I determined that the review of WIT conducted in 1999 by the Donnelly review group shall be a review for the purposes of this section of the Act and directed that HETAC take the appropriate measures to delegate authority to Waterford Institute of Technology to make higher education and training awards. This has been done.
My policy is to continue to develop a framework for the structured development of institutions in the technological sector to address changing local and national demands, while ensuring the maintenance of the complementary third level systems of university and technological education. The diversity of institutions and the separate missions of the two broad sectors will be maintained so as to ensure maximum flexibility and responsiveness to the needs of students and to the wide variety of social and economic requirements. Waterford Institute of Technology will continue to play a major role in Irish higher education.
