Vol. 488 No. 7
418 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Science the reports, if any, he has received regarding the insistence by educational institutions that applicants for certain jobs should hold a leaving certificate in view of the fact that many possible applicants may have acquired degree level qualifications through adult and second chance mechanisms without first having sat the leaving certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7172/98]
The position in the university sector is that the highest current qualification of a job applicant is the one given consideration. Therefore, if a candidate had achieved a third level degree but did not hold a leaving certificate, the degree qualification would prevail.
Universities are run as autonomous institutions and appointments to positions of employment are totally a matter for the individual institutions concerned. My Department has no function in relation to academic requirements, selection procedures or recruitment. I am not aware of details of this requirement operating in other institutions. If the Deputy forwards the details of any individual case I will have the matter investigated.
