Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Chathaoirleach Gníomhach agus leis na finnéithe as teacht os comhair an choiste. It is no easy task to come before this committee. Members just ask the questions, but witnesses must answer them and I acknowledge that is not easy.

I have met Ms Fitzpatrick and SSUNI, as well as the USI on this matter and it is an issue that my own party and I take seriously. This committee meeting is taking place against the backdrop of Conor Murphy becoming the Minister for the Economy in the North, under which responsibilities for further and higher education lie. He has been clear that there will be a strong focus on cross-Border student mobility and it is important that he is directing his officials in this way.

First, it is really positive that this committee is discussing an issue on which reform can be seen to be happening. I understand from Ms Fitzpatrick's opening statement that SSUNI has certain concerns and I wish to delve further into that. For me, the issue of equivalency and how to deal with it is one of the key things when one looks at North-South mobility. I welcome the fact that the Irish Universities Association has done a good deal of work on this. As for the recommendation that the maximum number of CAO points could be equated with three A-levels, I imagine this was looked at by the working group. I know that SSUNI met the working group and I assume it proposed that three A-levels and 600 CAO points should be equivalent.

On the language requirement, Ms Fitzpatrick observed that a language requirement at GCSE level is a barrier. What has SSUNI heard about difficulties in this regard? It may be easier to pose this question to the witnesses attending the second session of this committee but I wish to hear what SSUNI is hearing back as well. What were the challenges outlined to SSUNI in getting rid of the GCSE requirement, as well as the issue with three A-levels? I agree the information is just not out there on the issue of a fourth A-level or whatever it may be being needed. I am concerned that it rules out a lot of people but I wish to hear what challenges were outlined to the SSUNI when it engaged with the working group?