Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 December 2018
180. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to ensure that the case of a person (details supplied) is resolved in a similar manner in order to ensure fairness and equity in the third level education sector in view of a recent case at another college; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51572/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraUniversities in Ireland are statutorily independent institutions. Admission is a matter for each individual institution and my Department does not have the authority to intervene in the admissions process. The higher education institutions have delegated to the Central Applications Office (CAO) the task of processing applications to their first year undergraduate courses. The decision to offer a place is made by the HEI in question and not the CAO.
In the event that a student becomes eligible for a course following the result of a re-check of Leaving Certificate results then the student will generally be offered a place, subject to the availability of spaces on that course. Where a place is not available then the student is generally offered a place for the following year. This is, however, a matter for the institution in question.
On the 1st of November this year my Department announced significant changes to the Leaving Certificate examination appeals process from 2019. The changes will mean that, in future, students who appeal the results of the Leaving Certificate will be informed by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) of the outcome of their appeals much earlier than has previously been possible.
