Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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69. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the implementation of the Quality and Qualifications Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012, in particular his Department's engagement with Quality and Qualifications Ireland regarding the implementation schedule for the international education mark; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10118/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) was formally established on 6 November 2012 under the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act, 2012.  The 2012 Act also provided for the dissolution of the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC), the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) and the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI). 

QQI was given responsibility for the functions of those bodies across further and higher education and training as well as for the external quality assurance function formerly carried out by the Irish Universities Quality Board (IUQB). The purpose of the establishment of QQI was to bring greater coherence to the sector, creating a single body to deliver a more efficient and integrated service. 

However, a number of issues have been identified that have impeded QQI from fulfilling its intended role. In particular, the introduction of the International Education Mark (IEM) has been affected by the need for a number of revisions to the 2012 Act.

Officials in my Department, in consultation with QQI, are currently drafting the General Scheme of a Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Amendment) Bill that will address the issues that have arisen in relation to the 2012 Act. The passage of this Bill will allow for the introduction of the IEM. 

I intend to bring the General Scheme of the Bill to Government for approval shortly. It is anticipated that the Bill will be enacted in 2018.

It should be noted that QQI have already published a Code of Practice for Provision of Programmes of Education and Training to International Learners. This will enable providers to put in place many of the necessary arrangements for the IEM, prior to the revised statutory scheme.