Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. Tacaíonn Sinn Féin leis an reachtaíocht seo, i bprionsabal, agus fáiltímid roimhe. Ar an céad dul síos, ba mhaith liom iarratas beag a dhéanamh maidir leis an ainm. Molaim go gcoinneofaí ainm breá Gaelach. Tá sé sin déanta go rialta, mar shampla i gcás Solas. Tá mé cinnte go bhfuil tuairimí ag an Rialtas faoi sin. Cad faoi focail ar nós "céim", "gradam", "foghlaim" nó "bronnadh"? Tá mé cinnte gur féidir teacht ar ainm breá Gaelach ar an eagraíocht seo. Tá sé sin tábhachtach sa chomhthéacs náisiúnta. In renaming the organisation, the Irish language might be brought into play to give it a nice Irish language name as well, as has been done previously with other organisations.

Sinn Féin naturally supports the improvement and increased efficiency of public services and reform directed to advance this aim. The Bill seeks to consolidate the services as outlined. The stated rationale is that it is more efficient to have a single organisation ensuring quality in further and higher education and training rather than, as exists currently, several bodies with some overlapping responsibilities. While this is laudable, it can only be achieved if the new authority is properly resourced and staffed with qualified and experienced personnel who are capable of delivering a more streamlined and efficient service.

Sinn Féin supports the aim of the Bill to make qualifications more understandable across different countries and systems in Europe. It is also important that, wherever possible, education bodies ensure that their awards are recognised within the NFQ. The legislation should provide a more integrated, efficient and coherent range of services to learners that meets the highest international standards. Any new body overseeing quality must strive to create transparency in the Irish education system, as well as ensuring independent quality assessment. It must also enable international comparison between degree programmes and continue to improve the quality of Irish degree courses. I agree with previous Senators who spoke of the necessity of having student representatives on the board.

We share the NUI's concerns that amalgamating a higher education awards body with a further education awards body has the potential to damage the reputation of higher education awards. The NUI also argues that most member agencies in the European Association of Higher Education Quality Assurance are solely concerned with higher education. We would be interested to hear how the Minister intends to address these concerns.

We note that one of the objectives of the Qualifications, Education and Training Act 1999 was to promote and maintain procedures, access, transfer and progression. It should be noted that access is a process by which learners through education and learning receive recognition for confidence, skill and competence. Access should apply to all learners but especially those who are disadvantaged or marginalised. On that note, I agree with Senators Zappone and Keane on the accreditation of prior learning. Disadvantaged or marginalised socio-economic groups usually have prior learning experience which should be recognised and brought to bear when they are being considered for diploma or degree courses.

The QQAI must place a particular focus on the implications resulting from cuts to essential services in SNA support and special language resource teachers, both at primary and post-secondary levels. The impact of rising third-level fees on restricting access to students from disadvantaged families must also be taken into consideration. This could be achieved through the development of procedures on access transfer and progression that ensure positive outcomes across life-long learning.

The RIA claims the Bill will have no additional cost to the Exchequer and will result in savings of €1 million annually. Savings will be realised over time and through economies of scale, reductions in staff numbers and CEOs. What are the projected job losses resulting from the establishment of the QQAI? What will be the cost to the Exchequer of terminating senior management and CEO contracts?

The RIA considers that costs may be incurred by universities in implementing revised quality assurance practices. Can the Minister provide assurances that if there are any additional costs, they will not result in higher student fees?

The Bill must establish quality assurance procedures that address the recent slippage of three Irish universities in world rankings, as has already been mentioned. In recent years, I have taught in two third-level institutions. One of the things that alarmed me in both institutions was the push to pass people. Every available opportunity was used to ensure that students would pass their exams, so that it did not look bad for the institution in question to have people failing courses. It will be interesting to see how that matter will be taken on board. In fairness to everyone sitting exams, we must be sure that the quality of courses is assured and that qualifications are awarded fairly, thus demonstrating what work has been put into the courses.

There has been a great deal of discussion in recent times on the issue of public appointments to State boards and State bodies, and the Minister's influence on their operation. I would echo the comments by previous speakers who sought to ensure that those appointed to the new body are suitably qualified. When new bodies are created, such as this one, they must be as transparent and accountable as possible, as well as meeting high standards from the outset.

The Bill provides that only the Minister can appoint the eight members of the QQAI board. We hope, however, that consideration might be given to interested parties, individually or in appropriate groups, to make at least some nominations. The appointed CEO will have a good deal of power under the change of legislation but will he or she only be accountable to the Minister?

The authority aims to encourage providers to apply for an international education mark based on their code of conduct. Nowhere is it mentioned, however, that course providers must guarantee that courses will run to their final completion.

To some degree, the Bill is related to the Bologna process and the Bologna Declaration which aims to create a single higher-education European area. While there is clearly merit in cross-European co-operation and standardisation to some degree, I would note that the Bologna process is not without its critics. I ask Senators to consider that in areas such as these, we must proceed with caution. The process has been criticised as facilitating the commercialisation of higher education, and for the increasing emphasis on competitiveness as opposed to a broader, holistic approach to education. It has also been criticised by many for turning universities into businesses or diploma factories rather than places of learning. Real concerns exist that students are being treated as customers and that the system which is over-regulated, does not allow for national differences or individual considerations.

The emphasis on the attainment of vocational degrees, while not always a bad thing has, in some commentators' eyes, meant a reduction in funding in some non-vocational areas and has seen sponsorship by big business of the more "employable" education programmes. Many institutions offer a broad education, in particular, the NUI colleges and many other institutions and this approach must be preserved. There is more to education than the mere grinding out of results for the lowest costs possible and for the international league tables which can be rather misleading. While Sinn Féin does not oppose the purpose of the Bill, I wish to urge caution and care in the progress of such reforms and the preservation of the positive, unique aspects of our higher and further education systems while seeking their improvement.