Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 June 2013
279. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a college of further education (details supplied) in Dublin 10 that provides higher education courses is eligible to apply to offer Springboard and momentum skills places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27409/13]
View answerProposals for courses to be run under the Springboard programme are accepted from all providers that submit proposals that meet the criteria specified in the call for proposals. The call for proposals for courses to be run under Springboard 2013 was issued by the Higher Education Authority in February with a deadline for receipt of proposals of 9 April. The call documentation is available on the HEA website (http://www.hea.ie/sites/default/files/springboard2013callforproposals_1.pdf). Details of the courses selected for funding will be available in the coming weeks. Under the call for proposals, eligible courses for the Springboard Programme must either:(a) Lead to a higher education and training award that is included in the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) at Levels 6 to 9, which is made by one of the following Irish awarding bodies: Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC), including approved combinations of modules from HETAC validated major awards Institutes of Technology with delegated authority to make awards Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Universities or (b) Lead to a higher education and training award that is aligned with the Irish National Framework of Qualifications at Levels 6-9. These awards must be aligned with the Irish National Framework of Qualifications at Levels 6-9. These awards must be aligned with the Irish NFQ as at 1st January 2013. If the college to which the Deputy refers to had submitted a proposal in line with these and the other criteria specificed in the call for proposal it would have been eligible to be considered by the selection panel for funding. Both public and private providers were also eligible to apply for funding from the Momentum fund, subject to a tender process. There were two stages in this process: (i) pre-qualification and (ii) project proposals assessment. Notification of the pre-qualification for the current round of funds was published on the e-tenders website last summer. Pre-qualified providers had the opportunity to submit proposals which were considered in line with the tender specification. No subsequent notification has been published.
