Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 June 2013
160. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline the number of new semi-State organisations under his aegis which have been established since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29825/13]
View answerSince March 2011 a number of new bodies have been established following the merger and rationalisation of other bodies. Under the Public Service Reform plan the following were identified for rationalisation:
The merger of the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology & Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Science into consolidated single council under HEA;
The amalgamation of Further Education and Training Awards (FETAC), Higher Education and Training Award Council (HETAC) and National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) into one body the QQI; and
The reduction of the number of VEC's from 33 to 16.The following actions have been taken to date: The Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology and Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences were merged in March 2012 to form the Irish Research Council (IRC). The IRC has been established as a sub-board of the Higher Education Authority (HEA). Under the provisions of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012, the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI), the Higher Education Training Awards Council (HETAC) and the Further Education Training Awards Council (FETAC) were amalgamated to form a new agency, the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) on the 6th November, 2012. In June of 2011, I announced that the Government had approved a revised reconfiguration of the Vocational Education Committees system. The Government decision confirmed that the number of VECs would be reduced to 16. The Education and Training Boards Bill was published on 5th October 2012 and was enacted on 8th May 2013. It is expect that the Education and Training Boards will be established in late 2013. Further Education and training Authority to be called SOLAS. The Further Education and Training Bill was published in January 2012 and is expected to be enacted before the summer recess. Following the enactment of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012, the necessary steps have been taken to dissolve the Education Finance Board in March 2013 and establish the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board. This body will be funded from the contributions of the religious congregations offered in response to the request for additional contributions, following the publication of the Ryan Report.
