Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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274. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will guarantee that Dun Laoghaire institute will not be privatised; his views on private funding interests for the Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art Design and Technology. [3922/14]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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275. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of the staff pension fund in Dun Laoghaire Institute and a guarantee that the staff pension fund is safe. [3923/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 274 and 275 together.

The position is that higher education institutions, including Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art Design and Technology (DLIADT), are autonomous statutory bodies for which the Governing Authority has responsibility for their day to day operational affairs, including the issue of generating non-Exchequer funding. My Department, or the Higher Education Authority (HEA), are not aware of any proposals regarding DLIADT moving to private college status.

All eligible staff at DLIADT are members of the Education Sector Superannuation Scheme or if applicable the new Single Public Service Pension Scheme. These are Exchequer funded 'Pay as You Go" pension schemes and are not pension fund schemes.