Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 May 2021
302. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of plans to reform the CAO system of access to third-level education; if plans will come on stream in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26966/21]
View answerA key priority of my Department is strengthening the pathways between post-primary and further and higher education. Crucial to this is the creation of a single application portal that is user-friendly, clear and offers equal visibility of all the options for all learners and potential learners in a single location.
There has been regular and ongoing engagement over the last couple of years around the CAO and transitions, not just into further education and training but between further and higher education. This has involved a range of stakeholders including the CAO itself, but also IUA, THEA, ETBI and QQI.
Engagement is ongoing between SOLAS, the CAO and ETBI to explore options for how an integrated application process could work.
