Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 195: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider organising a working group of all professionals involved in the training, funding and assessment of barbers with a view to reducing bureaucracy and improving the throughput of barbers through the training system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30457/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy will be aware the Further Education and Training sector is undergoing major structural reform. The creation of the new further education and training authority, SOLAS, to replace FAS, will facilitate a coherent integrated strategic national response across the further education and training sectors. The new SOLAS mandate will be to ensure the provision of 21st century high-quality further education and training programmes to jobseekers and other learners.

Preparations are also currently being made for the amalgamation of FETAC with HETAC and the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) into the Qualifications and Quality Assurance Authority of Ireland (QQAAI).

I consider that these major structural reforms will deliver an appropriate oversight structure for the Further Education and Training sector, as a whole, and therefore do not propose to establish a group to consider the position of barbers.