Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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598. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details on the new oversight group, the Higher Education Reform Implementation Review Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23011/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Implementation Group to which the Deputy refers will - per the Government's response to the Cassells Report, Funding the Future - be based on partnership between Government, the higher education sector and wider societal and enterprise interests. This will entail a stronger focus on measuring and verifying performance from the system, as well as assessing information on costs, quality issues and outcomes which respond to economic and societal need. 

The Implementation Group - which I intend to chair - will to provide guidance to my Department in the rollout of the Funding and Reform Framework and focus on creating a unified system and improving pathways between further and higher education. I am delighted that this group will be co-chaired by Professor Tom Collins and Professor Anne Looney, both experts in the field. 

The wider group will comprise of membership to ensure ongoing consensus on the outcomes required from the higher education system and to oversee progress against identified reforms to take place alongside implementation of the funding model. It is also intended that sub-groups will be established to take forward key workstreams. The terms of reference for the group will be finalised and invitations will issue in the coming weeks for representatives, in advance of the inaugural meeting of this group.