Vol. 489 No. 2
154 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science if, further to the second report of the board of the interim Teastas Authority and the completion of the process in which it is engaged, Waterford Institute of Technology will be an independent awarding body similar to Dublin Institute of Technology and not part of the Irish National Institute of Technology as proposed in the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7791/98]
I announced on 18 July that my objective is to develop a framework for the structured development of institutions in the technological sector to address changing local and national demands, while ensuring the maintenance of the complementary third-level systems of university and technological education. I further stated that the diversity of institutions and the separate missions of the two broad sectors will be maintained to ensure maximum flexibility and responsiveness to the needs of students and to the wide variety of social and economic requirements.
Teastas, the Irish national certification authority, was established as an interim authority on 18 September 1995 and has worked closely and in consultation with the partners in the education and training sectors since that time. Teastas reported on an interim basis in January 1997 and has recently issued its second report. I also held a forum on the development of a national qualifications framework on 13 February 1998 at which the technological sector of higher education was represented and played an active role.
I aim to publish legislation in the coming months which will provide for the co-ordinated development of the technological sector and enhance its contribution to national and regional development. It is the intention that the development of this legislation for the technological sector will form part of the broad single legislation for the development of a national qualifications framework.
