Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 October 2021
150. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if an educational institute (details supplied) is under his Department's remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50345/21]
View answerMarino Institute of Education is a private charitable trust under the co-trusteeship of the European Province of the Congregation of Christian Brothers and Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin offering a range of educational programmes including primary initial teacher education (ITE), early childhood education and further education. The Department of Education currently funds Marino via capitation grants and grants in lieu of tuition fees in respect of approved student numbers on its primary ITE programmes.
The funding and governance remit for Marino Institute of Education is due to be moved to the Department of Higher Education; Research; Innovation and Science, as part of the process of transferring functions following on from the establishment of that Department. This work requires administrative and legislative solutions to address residual issues, and is in train as of now.
I and my Department of officials are currently working on the reform of the Higher Education Authority Act, 1971. The General Scheme of a Bill was published in May this year and I am considering the recommendations from the Pre-Legislative Scrutiny process on the General Scheme which was recently completed. It is anticipated that this Bill will be published shortly and initiated through the Oireachtas.
The Higher Education Authority Act, 1971 is being reformed to ensure that the higher education sector is enabled to meet the vision for an excellent higher education and research system which is innovative, adaptive and inclusive, which has strong engagement with the wider education system and wider society and which creates knowledge and contributes to social, economic and cultural development. This updated legislation is intended to provide the HEA with the necessary authority in relation to revised functions including planning, funding and oversight of the higher education sector and other related matters which more fully reflect its current central role and responsibilities in relation to higher education.
The legislation will provide that the HEA will have oversight of the full higher education sector including teaching training colleges. The legislation includes a designation system which provides that all higher education institutions will become designated as institutions of higher education by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science following a process overseen by the HEA. Once the relevant institutions are designated they will be entitled to use the title “designated institution of higher education”. It is expected that Marino Institute of Education will meet the criteria for designation and will become a designated institution of higher education under this designation process.
The HEA legislation will apply to all designated institutions of higher education. The model informing the proposed legislation is a co-regulation model which recognises the importance of autonomy and agility on the part of higher education institutions (HEIs) with appropriate accountability. This co-regulation model recognises and supports HEIs in their own governance responsibilities. The legislation will also provide the HEA with clarity as to its overall role in planning and managing at the system level but, where required, intervening proportionately to address issues if not appropriately dealt with by institutions.
The legislation will also include a funding framework which will provide that the HEA may provide funding to a wide range of higher education institutions including Marino Institute of Education. This will replace the current system where many HEIs are funded directly through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science or the Department of Education. There will be consultation with the relevant HEIs, including Marino Institute of Education prior to the implementation of these changes.
