Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)

I appreciate the opportunity to speak on this Bill which concerns the establishment of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance Authority of Ireland. The new authority will assume the responsibilities of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, the Higher Education and Training Awards Council and the Further and Training Awards Council, all of which will be dissolved under this Bill. In other words, this is one of the first times this Government has taken real action to eliminate quangos. A year, two years or three years ago, people read about the cost of quangos and the duplication of their work in various areas. The introduction of this legislation is a solid performance as part of the effort to tackle that programme. Most importantly, the members of the new authority to be appointed in line with this Bill under the direction of the Minister will not be paid any allowance or remuneration other than travel and subsistence expenses. I commend the Minister, Deputy Quinn, on ensuring that will be the case. It is a good sign that the Government is facing up to doing what it said it wanted to do before last year's general election. This legislation will give the Minister an opportunity to appoint top-class people to the new authority, which is essential.

I commend this Bill. When I saw that it had been published, I decided I would speak on it in this House and express my full support for it. The amalgamation of these bodies is a key part of the Government's overall public sector reform agenda. It will result in significant cost savings to the State. It is important to acknowledge that in recent years, the three existing bodies have been extremely successful in reducing their costs. I note that their current allocation in 2011 amounted to almost €9 million, which represented a saving of approximately 30% on the 2008 allocation under a different regime. Further savings of approximately €1 million will be achieved through rationalisation, corporate structures and support through integrated services. This is what we are all about. The shortage of money is one of the real issues facing this country. The need to manage the public service in a different way is the biggest issue facing the Departments of Health, Education and Skills, Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and every other Department. A certain amount of money is available to run the public service. In my opinion, this is one of the best possible ways of getting value for that money.

Cost savings should not be our only goal, however, particularly in an area like education. This amalgamation will result in a more efficient system of qualification and quality assurance in further and higher education and training. Ireland badly needs to enhance its reputation in this field, particularly given its low ranking in many international university tables. This amalgamation will bring about a more coherent approach to higher education and training in the future. Ireland, like other EU member states, has adopted a lifelong learning approach to education and training. A key feature of this comprehensive approach is the seamless transfer and progression of all learners with accreditation through the National Framework of Qualifications. The amalgamation of the two VECs in County Tipperary will affect my own constituency of Tipperary South. I was amazed by the reaction of people to that announcement. Nobody other than politicians and people on the boards approached me to question the decision. I believe the amalgamation of the VECs, like the amalgamation of the county councils, will prove worthwhile and will lead to many cost savings. As long as good leadership is shown in the council and in the VEC, the amalgamations will lead to increased efficiencies.

I cannot allow Deputy Mattie McGrath's comment about the "attack" on rural schools to go answered. Despite all the talk, no schools in the constituency both of us represent have had to close. Clogheen national school and Newtown Upper national school, which is near Carrick-on-Suir, were given a reprieve. When they appealed the decisions that had been made, they did not lose any teachers. This issue relates to just one school in south Tipperary - Burncourt national school - and is being worked on. I believe it is nonsense that people are frightening others by suggesting that schools in rural Ireland will have to close under this Government. Nobody ever proposed that any schools would have to close. There may be a place for amalgamations and board of management changes, and what is wrong with that? We should be considering such measures. If anybody else suggests this Government is attacking rural schools, he or she should be taken to task.

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