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

Briefly, there are four stages to the process of reconfiguration in the institutes of technology, IOT, sector. I can talk separately about the university and wider third-level college sectors because initial teacher education has been dealt with separately. Both Deputies will be familiar with the proposal whereby 19 institutions have been brought down to six configurations. In respect of the IOT sector, following the publication of the Hunt report just two years ago in January 2011, the document was circulated. On foot of the recommendations of the aforementioned report, the HEA wrote to all 14 of those institutions, asking where they saw themselves in the future and what plans did they have for themselves. They submitted a set of proposals last summer, which were then evaluated by the HEA. As I indicated at a gathering of all the presidents and chairpersons of the aforementioned institutions, the HEA stated there was considerable double-counting, as well as a lot of aspirational expressions of hope that did not fit reality. Moreover, estimates of additional research funding and of foreign students were unrealistic because the same two, three or four institutions were estimating the same number of foreign students, thereby double or triple-counting. In the past week, in the second stage of the process, an initial response by the HEA has gone out in which the authority has set out configurations or clustering it considers to be realistic. This document has been sent out for consideration, discussion and response by the institutions themselves, which is the second stage. The third stage then will be when they revert to discuss it or when they have communicated with the HEA.

The HEA at the end of March will produce a report and ask institutions what they want to do in future in a wide open sense. That is the first stage. We have responded to the unrealistic nature of some of what they are aspiring too. We have also asked them for a much more detailed specific recommendation, indicating that all things being considered, this is what is being recommended to the Minister on the path that should be travelled. That is what I will receive at the beginning of April or end of March. I will then indicate the recommended future configuration of the institute of technology landscape in the country. At that stage I have no doubt that we will have a debate in the House on the issue.

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