Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 232: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will ask the Higher Education Authority to investigate if a course (details supplied) in UCC meets the requirements of a level seven qualification by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that graduates of this course are not accepted for level eight qualifications in this field in other higher education institutions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22448/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The policies and criteria for the inclusion in, or alignment with, the Framework of awards made by universities and other awarding bodies are the responsibility of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI). For an award to be recognised through the Framework at a particular level, the specific learning outcomes associated with that award must be demonstrated to be in line with the learning outcomes associated with that level of the Framework. The NQAI maintains on its website a list of awards which have been recognised through the Framework and the course provided by UCC which is referred to in the question is included in that list as a Level 7 Special Purpose Award.

Universities, as autonomous academically independent institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, are themselves responsible for establishing and implementing procedures for access, transfer and progression (ATP). Under the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, 1999 the NQAI has a role in facilitating and advising universities on the implementation of such procedures. Therefore, where a person applies to a university for access to a particular course, it is for the university itself to apply its own procedures regarding ATP. It should be noted that the Framework level to which an award is assigned is only one of the issues to be considered. Other issues such as the size of the award and the course content are also of relevance.