Written answers

Wednesday, 22 January 2014

Department of Education and Skills

Departmental Bodies Establishment

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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80. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of new agencies and State bodies established since 9 March 2011 under the remit of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3345/14]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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For the Deputy's information under the Public Service Reform plan the following were identified for rationalisation or merger and since March 2011 the following actions have taken place.

The Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology and Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences were merged in March 2012 to form the Irish Research Council (IRC). The IRC has been established as a sub-board of the Higher Education Authority (HEA).

Under the provisions of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012, the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI), the Higher Education Training Awards Council (HETAC) and the Further Education Training Awards Council (FETAC) were amalgamated to form a new agency, the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) on the 6th November, 2012. Under the provisions of the Education and Training Boards Act 2013 the Vocational Education Committee (VEC) system was reconfigured, with the number of further education bodies being reduced from 33 to 16.

In addition, under the provisions of the Further Education and Training Act 2013 FÁS was dissolved in October 2013, with a new training authority, An tSeirbhís Oideachais Leanúnaigh agus Scileanna (SOLAS) being created with responsibility for funding, planning and co-ordinating training and further education programmes. Following the enactment of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012, the Education Finance Board was dissolved and in March 2013 and establish the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (CaraNua). This body will be funded from the contributions of the religious congregations offered in response to the request for additional contributions, following the publication of the Ryan Report.

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