Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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It is a priority of my Department to expand pathways into and within tertiary education, supporting leaners to get to where they want to go according to a learning route that is well-suited to their needs.

There are now so many routes for learners to realise their chosen career and educational goals. For anyone who doesn’t gain access to their course of choice immediately, there is often an alternative education path available to them. That could be through further education or apprenticeship, or through other courses in higher education. My Department is examining the establishment of a single portal currently with a report due to me on possible options shortly.

The Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) determine their own procedures for admission, in line with their statutory autonomy. The Central Applications Office (CAO), who are an independent body, process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on their behalf. Neither I nor my Department have a role in the operation of the CAO or the admissions decisions of institutions.

A key goal for my Department is to enhance the visibility of further education and training (FET) and apprenticeship options for school leavers. Last year's change which allows school leavers to explore options across the third level system at cao.ie/options, is a significant development which will help to build a more unified tertiary system.

Within the FET sector, a central portal has been developed to enable learners to apply for their chosen courses.?Technical experts from SOLAS and the CAO are working together to ensure that technology developed for FET in the short-term aligns with CAO systems to enable integration over time. The further development and expansion of the CAO FET offers to include wider options will build on the experience of the 2022 application process. By 24^thApril there had been 32,621 visits to www.fetchcourses.iedirectly from the CAO website.

For apprenticeship options, where students can be hired by approved employers throughout the year, the CAO website links to , a one-stop-shop website for information and guidance on apprenticeships. There were 50,172 visits to from the CAO website by 24^thApril. The total number of new apprentice registrations last year was 8,286. There is also a freephone number available - 1800 794 487, for guidance on apprenticeships, which is open 12pm-6pm Monday-Friday. A briefing session for guidance counsellors was also organised by ETBI and SOLAS to provide information on apprenticeship options. Collectively, these measures will increase awareness of and access to apprenticeship programmes.

In December, I announced new programmes which will see students commence their third level experience in further education and complete the remainder in higher education institutions. The project will be jointly managed by the HEA and SOLAS through the new National Tertiary Office which is governed by a memorandum of understanding between both organisations. A Director for the National Tertiary Office has been appointed.

The National Tertiary Office will lead on the development of the joint programmes this year. These programmes are still in development. The details of the courses, module specifications, organisation, progression principles, and how each programme will specifically link between individual ETBs and Higher Education Institutes is being devised on an individual, course by course basis by the institutions themselves with the guidance and co-operation of the National Tertiary Office. Further information on modules and course layout will be made available by the National Tertiary Office and the relevant Institutions in due course.