Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
2068. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the process for a student who has received the required QQI module qualifications through a PLC to enter into university; whether there is a limit on the number of spaces available per course for those entering through this route; how students are selected if the course is oversubscribed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38894/23]
View answer2069. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether he is aware of the case of a person (details supplied) who applied for a level 8 course following completion of a PLC, who received the required modules but has not gotten a place at Munster Technological University or University College Cork. [38895/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 2068 and 2069 together.
Higher Education Institutions 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. Neither I nor my Department have a role in the operation of the CAO and it is not within my remit to intervene in individual cases.
The majority of undergraduate courses allow students to enter on the basis of completing a Further Education and Training (FET) qualification - typically a PLC course. These courses typically have a quota of places set aside for students entering through this route.
Where the number of qualified FET applicants applying for a course outstrips the places available, the results of their FET qualification are translated into CAO points, and the applicants are ranked accordingly with the top ranked applicants being awarded the places available. Where the number of applicants with the maximum points exceeds the places available, random selection is applied. Details of how FET awards are converted into points are available on the CAO website at: www2.cao.ie/fetac/FETAC_scoring.pdf
