19 Feabh 2014, 09:20
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection will this afternoon seek to assess the fees for education programmes delivered through community and voluntary organisations under the auspices of Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).
19 February 2014
Officials from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), QQI, and the Department of Education and Skills will address the Committee. QQI was established in November 2012 as a new integrated agency responsible for the external quality assurance of further and higher education and training.
Chair of the Committee, Joanna Tuffy, TD, says “This afternoon, the Committee will hear a variety of perspectives on the scale and impact of the fees being charged for education programmes delivered through community and voluntary organisations. ICTU representatives are expected to outline their concerns on the financial burden being placed on participants in these community and voluntary programmes. Representatives from the QQI are expected to outline the rationale for fees for certain programmes, and the stakeholder engagement underlying the recent changes in course fees. Officials from the Department of Education and Skills will outline the reasons for the establishment of QQI and its distinct role in further education and training.
Separately, the Committee will hear from Chief Inspector Dr Harold Hislop at the Department of Education and Skills on quality and standards in Ireland's primary and post-primary schools.
Deputy Tuffy continues: “The Inspectorate at the Department of Education and Skills plays a key role in maintaining standards across Ireland’s primary and post-primary schools by schools inspections. Dr Hislop will give the Committee a detailed briefing on the Chief Inspector’s Report 2010-12, which was published in November 2013. The report highlights the strengths and areas for development identified during inspections in schools and centres for education at both primary and post-primary levels between 2010 and 2012.”
The meeting takes place today Wednesday 19 February at 1 pm in Committee Room 3, LH 2000 and can be viewed online here.
Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
Media enquiries to:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
Committee Membership
Deputy Joanna Tuffy - Chair
Deputies James Bannon, Ray Butler, Joan Collins, Clare Daly, Brendan Griffin , Jim Daly, Derek Keating, Charlie McConalogue, Nicky McFadden, Jonathan O’Brien, Willie O’Dea, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Brendan Ryan
Senators Terry Brennan, Jim D'Arcy, Marie Moloney, Mary Moran, Marie-Louise O’Donnell, Averil Power