Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this matter. I welcome from the National College of Ireland, Ms Gina Quin, president, and Dr. Deirdre Giblin who are here for this issue. I appreciate the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, is taking this on behalf of another Department. However, as a former education spokesperson, he is familiar with the work of the National College of Ireland, NCI. It was founded in 1951 and at present has 6,500 students. It has a strong commitment to the access agenda in Ireland. On access to higher education, the National College of Ireland is one of our leading institutions. As the Minister of State is aware, it is an independent, not-for-profit institution. As a provider of higher education it offers a wide range of courses, based in the city centre of Dublin. It attracts students from more than 80 countries. It is one of the biggest providers of Springboard courses. The Minister of State is very familiar with the work it does.

I seek an update on the designation of NCI as an institution under the Higher Education Authority Act 2022. When we were debating the Bill in this Chamber in July last year, the Minister, Deputy Harris, said that it was very simple and that this legislation allowed colleges for the first time to put their hands up to say they wish to be designated. The Minister was very open at the time. My question today is very simple. When will the National College of Ireland be designated? What is the process to allow the NCI to be designated? When will that process commence? Will the Minister signal as to when we are going to move on this? The Minister was open to it, both in private discussion and when we were debating the legislation. Everybody agrees that the NCI is a core part of the higher education framework in Ireland. It is something that the institution itself wants to see happen. It wants whatever process needs to commence, to begin. However, we need to know what that process is. Now that the Act is well embedded, we need to know and we need a signal from the Minister as to what is the process. As the Minister himself said, if the hand is up, how can one go towards designation? I would be grateful were the Minister of State to outline today what the Department is saying about that process and a potential timeline.