Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the widespread concerns of students on the postgraduate diploma in education course due to it being changed from level nine to level eight when the students had already started week eight of their course; if his further attention has been drawn to the fact that students were not consulted or informed of pending changes by the relevant authorities and that the costs of this course are appropriate for a level nine course rather than level eight; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32111/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Following detailed consultation between the Irish universities and the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) in the context of the ongoing process of implementing the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), the universities have agreed that the initial post-primary teaching qualification, hitherto known as the Higher Diploma in Education and latterly as the Graduate or Postgraduate Diploma in Education, is to be formally included for the first time in the NFQ at Level 8 with immediate effect. All qualification titles used prior to 2011 (i.e. legacy titles) are also included in the NFQ at Level 8. The qualification will now be known as the Professional Diploma in Education, to avoid confusion with any Level 9 award type. Universities are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997 and my Department does not have any function in relation to their academic affairs, including decisions concerning course provision, postgraduate fees or internal consultation processes with students.