Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 November 2020
990. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason a person (details supplied) who had been offered and accepted a CSO college offer subsequently had that offer removed, despite the fact that fees had been paid; if such a withdrawal is permitted by his Department; and if it will be ensured the person does not lose their college place. [32589/20]
View answerUniversities and Institutes of Technology are autonomous and determine their own procedures for admission. The CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on their behalf.
Decisions on admissions are made by the higher education institutions who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. Therefore neither I nor my Department have a function in relation to such matters and it is not within my remit to intervene in individual cases.
I understand, based on the information available to me, that subsequent to the applicant in question receiving an offer it was discovered that the incorrect exam results were associated with their CAO application, and the offer had been made on that basis. Where an error comes to the attention of the CAO after Round One offers have issued, they then update the account information and consequently the offers issued. A number of these adjustments are made each year due to applicant omissions or errors, or administrative errors caused by the higher education institutions or CAO.
If an applicant has an issue with their CAO application that is not resolved to the applicant’s satisfaction, the option to appeal is available. The CAO has an Independent Appeals Commission, to which recourse may be had by applicants who believe that they have been treated unfairly by CAO, and whose complaints have not been resolved by CAO. The function of the Appeals Commission is to ensure that the rules are applied fairly.
Appeals should be addressed to: The Secretary, CAO Independent Appeals Commission, c/o Tower House, Eglinton Street, Galway, Ireland.
