Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 December 2004
227 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science the courses that are being removed from 2005 in a college (details supplied) in County Mayo; the number of students this will affect; the reason for same; the proposals the college has to set up new courses; and when it expects these new courses to commence. [31726/04]
View answerMy Department is not aware of a proposal to remove courses in the college referred to by the Deputy.
Institutes of technology are statutory bodies established under the Regional Technical Colleges Acts 1992-1999 and the Dublin Institute of Technology Acts 1992 and 1994. Under the terms of these Acts, the governance and day-to-day activities of the institutes, including the number of approved courses that institutes wish to deliver in particular locations, are matters for which the governing bodies and the management staff of the institutes are responsible.
While proposals for new courses and proposed alterations to previously approved courses are subject to my approval in the context of the annual programmes and budgets process, decisions to discontinue delivery of previously approved courses are operational matters for the institutes in the context of their regular internal reviews of course provision.
