Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 31 Mar 1999

Vol. 503 No. 1

Written Answers. - Higher Education Awards.

Brian O'Shea

Ceist:

137 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science the significance of the inclusion of the word "primary" before "degree courses" in regard to recommendation (ii) of the recommendations on the delegation of qualification awarding authority to Waterford and Cork Institutes of Technology contained in the report of the interim review group (details supplied); the reason the word "primary" is not included in an otherwise identical recommendation for Cork Institute of Technology in view of the fact that he has endorsed these recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9416/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

The Qualifications (Education and Training) Bill, 1999, is at present being considered in Seanad Éireann.

Section 29 sets out provisions relating to the delegation of authority from the Higher Education and Training Awards Council to recognised institutions to make higher education and training awards. Recognised institutions include the institutions established by or under section 3 of the Regional Technical Colleges Act, 1992, which includes Waterford Institute of Technology.

Section 29(6) sets out that a review which has been or is being conducted on the direction of the Minister in relation to the delegation of authority to an institution established by or under section 3 of the Act of 1992 to make higher education and training awards, which following the commencement of the Bill becomes a recognised institution, "shall be a review for the purposes of this section where the Minister so determines and the Minister shall inform the Council, by notice in writing, of any such determination and may give such directions to the Council and the Authority, as he or she considers appropriate".

It is my intention that, after the commencement of the Bill, I would direct the Higher Education and Training Awards Council and the National Qualifications Authority to implement the recommendations of the report of the Interim Review Group, chaired by Dervilla Donnelly. Thus, subject to the other provisions of the Bill and subject to the provisions of the Regional Technical Colleges Acts, I would envisage that Waterford Institute of Technology would have authority delegated from the Higher Education and Training Awards Council to make awards in relation to existing and new programmes at the level of certificate and diploma currently awarded by the National Council for Educational Awards.

There is no significance in the different wording of the reports on Waterford Institute of Technology and Cork Institute of Technology in relation to the future delegation of degree awarding powers. The Bill enables further devolution of degree certification to either institute and the way forward to achieving this has been outlined in the work of the review group itself and the self- evaluation work of the institutes. Both institutes are free to seek this authority at an appropriate time.