Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 205: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his policy on merging the existing accreditation authorities, national qualifications authority, FETAC and HETAC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11010/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Programme for Government contains a commitment to amalgamate the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI), the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) and the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC). This was confirmed in the Public Sector Reform Plan. Legislation providing for the amalgamation was published in July 2011 and Second Stage was taken in the Seanad in September. It is intended to secure the passage of the legislation and establish the new Authority in the first half of 2012.