Ninth Level Ireland

“John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail): I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill relating to Quality and Qualifications Ireland, QQI. It is important to note one of the contexts in which this is relevant. There are only five or six countries in the world that are English speaking and the English language education market is a significant market in that regard. With the pending withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union in some shape or form, Ireland is the principal English language speaking destination and therefore English language education destination in the European Union …” (more)

[Dáil debates, 13 June]

“Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail): Níl éinne eile anseo. B’fhéidir go gcríochnóidh an díospóireacht níos luaithe ná mar a chríochnódh sé de ghnáth. Fianna Fáil is committed to maintaining and improving the highest standards in education. It is intended to increase the number of international students and the number of students entering higher education in this country is increasing all the time. It is vital, therefore, that these students are supported by a high quality education system …” (more)

[Dáil debates, 12 June]

“Mary Mitchell O’Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael): I move: ‘That the Bill be now read a Second Time’. I am pleased to bring the Bill before the House. It will amend the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012, which established Quality and Qualifications Ireland, QQI, the national agency with responsibility for external quality assurance and qualifications across the further and higher education sectors …” (more)

[Dáil debates, 11 June]

“The Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD today (24 May 2019) welcomed the signing into law by the President of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2018, which ensures that student-specific accommodation let under licence is included under existing Rent Pressure Zones …” (more)

[Department of Education and Skills, 24 May]

“Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail): I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Mitchell O’Connor. I remind Senators that they may speak only once on Report Stage, except the proposer of an amendment, who may reply to discussion on the amendment. Each non-Government amendment must be seconded. Amendment No 1 is a Government amendment and arises out of committee proceedings. The amendment is consequential on amendment No 32. Amendments Nos 1 and 32 are related and may be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed …” (more)

[Seanad debates, 22 May]

“RCSI recognition as a university, English Language College regulation, Learner and teacher protection amendments all welcomed by Minister. Minister for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD today (22 May 2019) welcomed the completion of Report Stage of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018 in Seanad Éireann …” (more)

[Department of Education and Skills, 22 May]

“This morning, the Minister for Housing, Eoghan Murphy, presented amendments to the Residential Tenancies bill, which writes into law that students in Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) will no longer see hikes of above 4% year on year and will fully be able to avail of RTB protections, starting in July …” (more)

[USI, 11 April]

“Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD has commended the work of the students on ensuring that student specific accommodation on and off campus will now be covered by the rent pressure legislation and will therefore be subject to the 4% rent hike cap. Deputy Ó Broin said …” (more)

[Sinn Féin, 11 April]

“The Government is giving a long-term commitment that, after Brexit, UK students studying in the Republic will continue to be treated as if they were in the EU and will not have to pay higher fees. Until now, the guarantee extended only to students from Northern Ireland and Britain starting a third-level course in the Republic in September 2019, with a promise of review in the context of a wider Brexit agreement …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 7 March]

“Students from Northern Ireland and Britain will face the same higher education fees as EU students on an ongoing basis in the event of a hard Brexit. While the Government has previously pledged to freeze fees for UK students starting undergraduate courses in 2019 only, an amendment to the Brexit Omnibus Bill would maintain this system indefinitely …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 7 March]

“The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is set to secure university status within months after the Cabinet approved a change in legislation. Legal restrictions have prevented the 235-year-old Dublin college from being granted university status even though it is ranked among the top higher-education institutions in the world …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 5 March]

“RCSI in line for university status. Minister Mitchell O’Connor presents legislative changes which allow for new university status. The Minister for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD, has today welcomed the approval by Government in seeking to advance university designation for the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) …” (more)

[Department of Education and Skills, 5 March]

“On Wednesday 20 February, the Union of Students in Ireland Vice President Michelle Byrne and NUI Galway’s Students’ Union President Megan Reilly spoke in the Oireachtas about the Residential Tenancies (Greater Security of Tenure & Rent Certainty) Bill 2018 …” (more)

[Áine Kenny, Irish Times, 22 February]

“Mary Mitchell O’Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael): I wish to address the matter of stakeholder engagement, which has been of great concern to Senators. I also want to remedy and remediate the indiscretion in that regard. I wanted to ensure that it would be procedurally possible for the Joint Committee on Education and Skills to continue with its proposed stakeholder engagement once the Bill had been introduced in this House …” (more)

[Seanad debates, 7 February]

“What’s in a name? A lot, if you are a college trying to attract international students and lucrative research funding. The Royal College of Surgeons Ireland has long been a top global performer in medical education, but has felt hamstrung by the fact that it does not have university status …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 7 February]

“The Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) is set to become the country’s eighth university under new legislation likely to complete its passage through the Oireachtas shortly. The 235-year-old Dublin college has been lobbying the government for many years to grant it university status to help boost its chances of attracting top international researchers and students …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 7 February]

“Officials from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) have been urging members of the Oireachtas to amend legislation, allowing the institute to describe itself as a university in Ireland and overseas. Under current legislation, RCSI may describe itself as a University of Medicine and Health Sciences overseas but may not do so in Ireland …” (more)

[Brían Donnelly, University Observer, 22 January]

Bills currently before the Dáil and Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018 [Seanad] – at Seanad Committee Stage. Priority Legislation for Publication: Miscellaneous Provisions (Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on 29 March 2019) Bill – Part 5 Education and Skills – Student Support. All Other Legislation: Higher Education (Reform) Bill – To modernise the legislative framework underpinning the governance and functions of the Higher Education Authority and the governance structures of the universities – Heads in preparation. Universities (Amendment) Bill – To ensure compliance with government guidelines on remuneration, allowances, pensions and staffing numbers in the University sector – Work is underway.

(The complete programme is here.)

“Legislation that will allow public servants stay at work up to the age of 70 if they so choose has been signed into law by President Michael D Higgins. Previously, public servants had to retire by 65 at the latest, despite the fact that the age for qualifying for the State pension is 66 …” (more)

[RTÉ News, 26 December]

“There was some good news for public servants wishing to work longer as President Michael D Higgins is to sign a new law that will allow public sector workers work until the age of 70 …” (more)

[Christopher O’Brien, TheLiberal.ie, 20 December]