Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, 1999
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Functions of Authority. |
8.—(1) The functions of the Authority are to do all things necessary or expedient in accordance with this Act to further the objects of the Authority. | |
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), the Authority shall— | ||
(a) establish the policies and criteria on which the framework of qualifications shall be based, | ||
(b) review the operation of the framework of qualifications having regard to the objects specified in section 7 , | ||
(c) establish, in consultation with the Further Education and Training Awards Council and the Higher Education and Training Awards Council, procedures for the performance by them of their functions and shall review those procedures from time to time, | ||
(d) determine the procedures to be implemented by providers of programmes of education and training for access, transfer and progression and shall publish those procedures in such form and manner as the Authority thinks fit, | ||
(e) ensure, in consultation with the Dublin Institute of Technology and universities established under section 9 of the Act of 1997, that the procedures referred to in paragraph (d) are being implemented by them, | ||
(f) facilitate and advise universities in implementing the procedures referred to in paragraph (d) and from time to time and in any case not less than once in every five years, in consultation with An tÚdarás, review the implementation of those procedures by universities, and publish the outcomes of such a review in such form and manner as it thinks fit, | ||
(g) consult with and advise the Minister or any other Minister, as the case may be, on such matters in respect of its functions as the Minister or any other Minister may request or as the Authority sees fit, and | ||
(h) (i) liaise with bodies outside the State which make education and training awards for the purposes of facilitating the recognition in the State of education and training awards made by those bodies, and | ||
(ii) facilitate recognition outside the State of education and training awards made in the State. | ||
(3) The Authority, in the performance of its functions, shall— | ||
(a) inform itself of the education, training, skills and qualifications requirements of industry, including agriculture, business, tourism, trade, the professions and the public service, including the level of knowledge, skill or competence to be acquired by learners and promote practices in education and training which meet those requirements, | ||
(b) inform itself of practices outside the State in respect of matters relevant to its functions, | ||
(c) give effect to the policies relating to education and training which from time to time are established, and notified in writing to the Authority, by the Minister, or by any other Minister with the agreement of the Minister, following consultation with the Authority, and | ||
(d) consult, as it considers appropriate, with universities, the Higher Education and Training Awards Council, the Further Education and Training Awards Council, the Dublin Institute of Technology, recognised institutions, An Foras, CERT, Teagasc, An Bord Iascaigh Mhara, educational or training institutions established by a vocational education committee, other providers of education and training, persons, or bodies of persons, who represent employees of providers of education and training or who represent learners, An tÚdarás, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and such other persons or bodies of persons as the Authority considers appropriate, and the Authority shall consider the views, if any, of those bodies for the purpose of determining the procedures referred to in subsection (2)(d). |