Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Let me just describe the process of how we arrived at SUSI. We invited expressions of interest from all of the grant-awarding public sector agencies in taking the lead role and becoming the sole grant-awarding agency. The principle of having one agency to do this work was accepted by everybody, both in opposition and in government. Subsequent to the change of government on 11 March 2011, I advanced what had happened up to that point, but the minute I advanced it, I accepted total responsibility as Minister. The fact that I agree with the policy initiative of the previous Minister is a bonus, but I am now responsible for it. We invited expressions of interest, through the Department of Education and Skills, from the grant-awarding organisations. It was not an open tendering system because they were already in the space. A number of different groups presented and were interviewed. Their business cases were evaluated by a specialist group of former and current senior public servants and the responsibility was awarded to the City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee, CDVEC. The CDVEC constructed the model that is now known as SUSI. Any request that SUSI made to my Department for resources and staff was acceded to and was not questioned or second-guessed. SUSI, in turn, outsourced part of its work.

Many Deputies who are in the House now, including Deputy Jonathan O'Brien, attended this morning's committee meeting and will be aware of most of this information. However, the rest of the House may not necessarily be aware of the details. I am sorry if I am repeating what many Deputies already know but I am anxious to ensure this information is on the record of the House.

I regret - as does the chief executive of the CDVEC, according to her own testimony - that the system that was put in place has not worked as well as we had hoped it would. I put my hands up on this: it has not worked as well as expected. It is probably working a little better than the previous system, but that is no consolation to anybody. What we set out to do is not working as well as we hoped it would. I do not want to get involved in the blame game, although I am responsible; Deputies can have a go at me as much as they like and I will accept it. I am the person to blame at the end of the day, not the people who are trying to administer the grants. What we are saying to SUSI is this: what can you do to sort out the difficulties that have arisen, both foreseen and unforeseen? What we did not foresee with the online system was that many students would not provide the additional information required. The Deputies will know from the records that a number of-----

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