Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1434: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to appoint two student representatives to each of the Higher Education Authority and the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland. [47994/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The commitment in the Programme for Government to appoint a second student representative to the Board of the HEA is considered when appointments are being made, having regard to the need to ensure an overall balance of stakeholder interests. The HEA engages extensively with student interests as an integral part of its ongoing work and the USI plays an active role in this process and continues to ably represent its constituency.

Section 6 of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, 1999 sets out the composition of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland and provides for one member of the Authority to be representative of learners. The Deputy will be aware of the Government decision, announced by the Minister for Finance as part of his Budget speech, to amalgamate the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland with the Further Education and Training Awards Council and the Higher Education and Training Awards Council. My Department is currently in discussions with the agencies involved and is in the process of preparing a consultation paper which will deal with the issue of the nature and composition of the board of the new body.