Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 259: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of regulators under the control of his Department; the function and responsibility of same; the number of staff employed, their outturn for 2008 and budget for 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6497/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The following is a list of bodies under the aegis of my Department that were classified as a "regulatory body" in the report entitled "Bodies in Ireland with Regulatory Powers" which was produced in 2007. A "regulatory body" is defined as one that has functions in at least two of the following three areas of activities:

The formulation of goals; the making of rules and/or the setting of standards.

Monitoring; gathering information; scrutiny; inspection; audit and evaluation.

Enforcement; modifying behaviour; applying rewards and sanctions.

Staffing levels and approximate 2008 budget allocation figures are included for the Deputy's information. The 2008 outturn figures are not readily available. Additional material requested by the Deputy will be provided as soon as possible.

1. Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC)

FETAC gives people the opportunity to gain recognition for learning in education or training centres, in the work place and in the community. FETAC's functions include: making and promoting awards, validating programmes, monitoring and ensuring the quality of programmes and determining standards. FETAC has a staff complement of 53 and its 2008 budget was approximately €7 million.

2. Higher Education Authority (HEA)

The HEA is the statutory planning and development body for higher education and research in Ireland. The HEA has wide advisory powers throughout the whole of the third-level education sector. In addition it is the funding authority for the universities and a number of designated higher education institutions. The Institute of Technology Act 2006 provided for the designation of the Institutes of Technology as institutions of higher education under the HEA. Upon commencement of the Act on 1st February 2007, the HEA took over the role of funding authority for the Institutes of Technology. The principal functions of the HEA are to further the development of higher education; to maintain a continuous review of the demand and need for higher education; to assist in the coordination of state investment in higher education and to prepare proposals for such investment; to allocate among universities and designated institutions the grants voted by the Oireachtas; to promote the attainment of equality of opportunity in higher education and democratisation of higher education. The HEA has a staff complement of 72.5 and its 2008 administrative budget was approximately €6 million. The HEA administers funding for the Universities and Institutes of Technology and the provision for this purpose in 2008 was approximately €1.54 billion.

3. Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC)

HETAC was established by the Government in 2001, under the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999. HETAC is the qualifications awarding body for third-level educational and training institutions outside the university sector and the Dublin Institute of Technology. It is the successor to the National Council for Educational Awards (NCEA). HETAC may delegate authority to make awards to Recognised Institutions under the Act. Recognised Institutions currently comprise the Institutes of Technology. HETAC awards qualifications at all levels of higher education and training up to PhD level. HETAC's main functions include: setting standards for higher education and training awards; validation of higher education and training programmes; monitoring of institutional quality assurance procedures; delegation of awarding powers to recognised institutions; ensuring that student assessment procedures are fair and consistent; ensuring that arrangements are in place in commercial education and training institutions to protect learners where programmes validated by HETAC cease to be provided. HETAC has a staff complement of 34 and its 2008 budget was approximately €4.6 million.

4. National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB)

The NEWB is the national agency with responsibility for encouraging and supporting regular school attendance. This body has functions in the area of enforcement/taking legal action and also has monitoring and inspection functions as regards school attendance patterns. The NEWB has a staff complement of 104 (this includes 84 Educational Welfare Officers) and its 2008 budget was approximately €10.1 million.

5. National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI)

The NQAI has three principal objectives, which are set out in the Qualifications (Education & Training) Act 1999: (a) the establishment and maintenance of a framework of qualifications for the development, recognition and award of qualifications based on standards of knowledge, skill or competence to be acquired by learners; (b) the establishment and promotion of the maintenance and improvement of the standards of awards of the further and higher education and training sector, other than in the existing universities; and (c) the promotion and facilitation of access, transfer and progression throughout the span of education and training provision. The NQAI has a staff complement of 25 and its 2008 budget was approximately €3.2 million.

6. State Examinations Commission (SEC)

The SEC is responsible for the operation of all aspects of the established Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme, Leaving Certificate Applied and Junior Certificate Examinations. The individual functions involved in the operation of the examinations include: preparing examination papers and other examination materials; determining procedures for the conduct and supervision of examinations; recruiting contract staff to draft and mark examination components and to superintend at the examinations; arranging for marking of work presented for assessment and examinations; issuing the results of examinations; determining procedures to enable the review and appeal of results of examinations at the request of candidates; charging and collecting fees for examinations; designating places where examinations may be held. The SEC has a staff complement of 176 and its 2008 budget was approximately €66.2 million.

7. The Teaching Council

The Council establishes, publishes, reviews and maintains codes of professional conduct for teachers: these include standards of teaching, knowledge, skill and competence; establishes and maintains a register of teachers; and will, when the appropriate section of the Teaching Council Act, 2001, is commenced, conduct inquiries into and, where appropriate, impose sanctions in relation to fitness to teach, of any registered teacher. The Council has a staff complement of 40.5 (including 12 temporary) and its 2008 budget was approximately €4.8 million. The Teaching Council has operated as a self funding body since March 2008.