Ms Olive Phelan:

My name is Olive Phelan and I am an adult student who returned to education through NALA four years ago. I am here on behalf of the further education and training board. There are 200,000 adult learners in further education and training services. There is no designated seat for adult learners in the Education and Training Boards Bill, yet there are 18 seats on the board. Higher education students are routinely represented on the board and academic councils of national authorities such as the Higher Education Authority and the Qualifications and Quality Assurance Authority of Ireland. Learner involvement in all aspects of education provision is a core principle of NALA's work and learners have been centrally involved in all NALA board structures for more than 30 years. Learners have regularly been elected chairpersons of the NALA board. The NALA board has a student sub-committee, of which I am a member, to inform all its works. There are many types of learning and adult education. NALA believes that learners' experiences are vital for the effective organisation of adult education and training provision and that learners should be centrally involved at all levels of the education and training boards.

The Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, amended the legislation to allow for two learner representatives to sit on the board of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance Authority of Ireland. Why are there no adult learners represented in further education and training services? The NALA board believes it is essential for adult learners to have a designated place on the education and training boards. A dedicated adult learners' voice on the board would improve the quality and effectiveness of services, as outlined by the Minister in the House on 5 July 2012, and make education and training boards more learner centred and inclusive. We demand a seat and to be represented. After all, we represent 200,000 reasons for a seat on the board.