Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1346: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to concerns regarding the functionality of the management information system installed in all institutes of technology with regard to student services and specifically with regard to examination results; if she has received complaints regarding the system functionality; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1722/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My attention has not been drawn to concerns regarding the functionality of the management information system, MIS, installed in all institutes of technology with regard to student services and specifically with regard to examination results.

The MIS system comprises four integrated elements: student registration; financial; payroll-human resource and library. The system tracks all student records, including registration, courses, link modules and examination performance. The financial system provides for individual budget responsibility within the institutes and it produces annual accounts. The payroll-human resource system links with the student system to facilitate timetabling. The library system tracks all movements of materials and also facilitates on-line access to journals and articles by students and staff.

The project involved some 59 installations of hardware and software across the institutions and all installations have been completed. Given that there was a phased implementation of the system, some institutes are more advanced than others in the operation of its constituent elements. Where individual institutes have queries about any aspects of the operation of the system, a helpdesk facility is available. I understand also that institutes share operational information to maximise the benefits from the system.

The institutes have informed my Department that the MIS has proved to be a critical and decisive element in the modernisation and transformation of the management and operation of the institutes of technology and that it has already produced major benefits for students and colleges.