Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy O'Brien for his good wishes. I look forward to working with him and other Opposition spokespersons. I thank him for raising this issue and agree with him on the value of community education. We would be very well aware of it in both of our communities.

As the Deputy will be aware, Quality and Qualifications Ireland, QQI, was established in November 2012 under the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012 through the amalgamation of the Further Education and Training Awards Council, the Higher Education and Training Awards Council and the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland. QQI was given responsibility for the functions of those bodies across further and higher education and training as well as for the external quality assurance function formerly carried out by the Irish Universities Quality Board.

The purpose of the amalgamation of those bodies into QQI was to bring greater coherence to the sector, creating a single body which can deliver a more efficient and integrated service and uphold the quality of Ireland's qualifications and educational institutions while bringing a stronger focus to the creation of flexible pathways for learners.

QQI has very wide-ranging responsibilities, both in terms of the quality assurance of further and higher education and training providers and as an awarding body for certain providers, including many of those in the community and voluntary sector. QQI also has responsibility for safeguarding the standard and quality of its qualifications, all of which are included in the national framework of qualifications.

The 2012 Act provides for the fees to be determined in regard to a number of activities and services carried out by QQI, including agreement of quality assurance procedures, programme validation and the making of awards. To date, fees have been determined for only a limited number of these services, including access to QQI programme validation for providers which do not have an existing relationship with QQI. I understand that QQI is due to publish its policy in regard to re-engagement with providers with which it has an existing relationship, known as legacy providers, shortly.

Re-engagement, or the formal agreement of quality assurance procedures with QQI, is a requirement for legacy providers under the 2012 Act. It will happen only once for a provider. Thereafter, the provider will have to undergo periodic review of the effectiveness of its quality assurance procedures.

The re-engagement process will allow providers to demonstrate their capacity to provide and maintain, on an ongoing and sustainable basis, the infrastructure required to develop programmes consistent with national standards and to assess the achievement of stated learning outcomes by learners.

The fees involved in the re-engagement process have not yet been determined, as the Deputy said. The proposed levels of fee and any associated issues will be considered when the proposal is made by QQI.

I can assure the Deputy that the role played by the community and voluntary sector in providing training and educational opportunities to marginalised communities is both important and valued. However, it must be recognised that learners, in particular those who may be disadvantaged due to unemployment or who come from marginalised communities, deserve and must be assured of the quality of the programmes they undertake and of the awards they receive.

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