Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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158. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will list the regulators which are accountable to his Department; the administrative cost of operating each regulator in 2012; the accommodation costs and the number of staff employed; the total income and expenditure in 2012 for each regulator; his plans to amalgamate some regulatory offices and to amalgamate some regulatory processes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29421/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Following is a list of the seven bodies under the aegis of my Department that were classified as a "regulatory body" in the report entitled "Bodies in Ireland with Regulatory Powers" which was produced in 2007. A "regulatory body" is defined as one that has functions in at least two of the following three
areas of activities:

- The formulation of goals; the making of rules and / or the setting of standards.

- Monitoring; gathering information; scrutiny; inspection; audit and evaluation.

- Enforcement; modifying behaviour; applying rewards and sanctions.
1. Further Education and Training Awards Council
2. Higher Education and Training Awards Council
3. National Qualifications Authority of Ireland,
[1,2,3 above have merged since November 2012, now known as the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)]
4. Higher Education Authority (HEA)
5. National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB)
[In June 2011, the functions of the National Educational Welfare Board transferred to the newly established office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs]
6. State Examinations Commission (SEC)
7. The Teaching Council

The regulatory function of the various bodies is one of many functions they discharge in accordance with their statutory obligations. In this regard the overall administrative costs of a body do not bear a relationship to its regulatory role, nor do the accommodation costs, staff employed or total income. The administrative cost of operating each regulator, the accommodation
costs and the number of staff employed are included in the following table. The Deputy may wish to note that the Teaching Council has been self-financing since 2008.

Year 2012

Note 2: Administrative Cost figure is the administrative grant provided to the HEA.