Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the methodology and reason three Grade A's achieved at A-level in the North of Ireland are allocated 450 points, when applicants for higher education are assessed after applying to a higher level institution in the 26 Counties. [30980/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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In relation to the evaluation of the Leaving Certificate Examinations and the A Level examinations for the purposes of entry to Irish universities, it should be noted that universities are autonomous academically independent institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997 and my Department does not have any functions in relation to their admissions policies and criteria. I can however confirm that, since 2010 the seven universities in the Republic of Ireland have been allocating 150 points to the recently introduced GCE A* grade, and 135 points to the A grade, and that university representatives have been working closely with representatives of Northern Ireland's Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) concerning the equivalence of entry requirements for applicants to Irish universities from Northern Ireland and the other parts of the UK.