Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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322. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which his Department monitors the standards in private third level institutions; and the sanctions currently in place if those institutions fail to meet required standards and criteria. [35891/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Private third level institutions are operated independently and do not come under the remit of my Department.

However, private higher education institutions may choose to voluntarily engage with QQI, the national agency with responsibility for quality assurance and qualifications across the further and higher education sectors, to seek validation of programmes and to gain access to QQI awards. Private providers seeking to engage with QQI are firstly required to establish quality assurance procedures based on guidelines issued by QQI. The operation of these procedures is monitored by QQI through periodic review.

Following the establishment of approved quality assurance procedures, providers may then apply to QQI for validation of programmes. Validation is generally for a period of 5 years. Validation may be reviewed at any time by QQI and may be withdrawn if the conditions of validation are not being complied with.

Additionally, all Springboard+ programmes provided by private higher education institutions are subject to validation procedures set and implemented by QQI and are recognised on the NFQ. In addition, having regard to procedures for Protection for Enrolled Learners, the HEA withholds 30% of the total cost of a Springboard+ programme provided by a private provider until such a time as all exams for the programme have been completed.