Ms Tara Farrell:

I thank the Chair and Deputies Jan O'Sullivan and Funchion for their specific comments on community education and their support. I appreciate Mr. Beausang's comments but I still believe it is important that such education be listed as an exemption. Many of us, particularly the six Community Education Network members who are re-engaging at the moment, are delivering programmes from level 3 to level 6. In Longford Women's Link, for example, we do not deliver anything at level 1 or level 2 as there is not enough demand for it in the Longford area. I will reinforce the point that there are structural differences between our services and universities or higher education institutions, yet we are being treated in the same way. The one-size-fits-all approach just does not work. We are not in a position to charge large fees. We are not-for-profit organisations. On revalidation fees, I accept that one is not obliged to pay fees until one revalidates one's programmes but we are obliged to revalidate our programmes. We are obliged to re-engage if we want to be a QQI provider. We simply do not have a secret pot of money to pay those fees. They will have a massive impact on our provision, which will ultimately impact on the learners. I thank the Deputies for their supportive comments.