Written answers

Wednesday, 18 January 2023

Department of Education and Skills

Legislative Measures

Photo of Thomas PringleThomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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1025. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if all sections of all Acts passed in the past ten years have been commenced; the number of sections that are outstanding; the number of Acts that have review periods; if the reviews have taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matteder. [63383/22]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The table at the following link sets out details of Acts that have been passed in the past ten years. The Deputy will note that the Acts with all sections passed have no sections outstanding. Details regarding the review periods and if they have taken place are also outlined.

List of DFHERIS Acts

Whilst the Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015 is currently under the remit of the Department of Education, it is included in the table attached as it is more appropriate to my Department. Officials in my Department liaised with colleagues in that Department and it was agreed that it would be more appropriate for my Department to include this Act in its response to the Deputy's question.

With regard to the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Act 2019, the sections of this Act which have yet to be commenced pertain to a number of new statutory functions for Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) which will empower the Agency to conduct due diligence assessments of education providers, to establish a new national fund for the protection of enrolled learners, to broaden the range of awards that are included in the national framework of qualifications and to introduce the International Education Mark (IEM) which will provide a full quality framework for the provision of education to international learners. A number of enabling precursor measures are required to underpin the introduction of these new functions including the drafting of relevant Ministerial Regulations. The Department has been working closely with QQI since the introduction of this legislation to develop and implement these enabling measures and is continuing to work with the Agency. These new functions are sequential in nature and it is expected that all remaining sections of the Act will be commenced on a phased basis over the course of this year.

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