Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question. I acknowledge that HECA has played a very constructive role in its engagement with my Department since its foundation, particularly during the Covid pandemic. Representatives of the association sat on the Covid steering committee and there has been no difference between publicly-funded and privately-funded institutions in terms of the public health-led approach to the crisis. I thank HECA and, in particular, its CEO, Patricia O'Sullivan, for her work in this regard.

Partnership between Government and key stakeholders, including the enterprise sector and providers of education and training programme such as higher education institutions, HEIs, is a key principle embodied in our national skills strategy. I assure the Deputy that this principle is reflected in a strong voice and representation on the National Skills Council and the regional skills forums for higher education institutions. I take his specific point in regard to HECA. The Irish Universities Association, IUA, and the Technological Higher Education Association, THEA, which between them represent all but one of the public HEIs in the State, are represented on the National Skills Council by Professor David FitzPatrick and Dr. Brendan McCormack, respectively.  Membership of all the regional skills forums includes representatives from universities, technological universities and institutes of technology.

I am providing the Deputy with full details in writing of National Skills Council and regional skills forums membership, which I trust will be of assistance to him. I do not want to give a prescriptive answer tonight but, in light of his question, I will give consideration to representation for HECA. I am happy to engage further on this issue with representatives of that organisation when I next meet them. I certainly think the proposal merits consideration. HECA has a very important role to play in providing courses to meet industry needs, which it already is doing in many ways. The Deputy has asked me a valid question and I will reflect on it and revert to him directly.

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