O'Keeffe gives assurances regarding university admission changes
Changes to university admissions in Ireland should not disadvantage potential students from north of the border, the education minister said today.
A level applicants will be given offers on merit, Batt O’Keeffe added following a North/South Ministerial Council meeting in Co Armagh.
The date has been changed for A-level results, meaning they will not be available in time for the first round of university offers from Ireland. Mr O’Keeffe wrote to the North's Education Minister Caitriona Ruane this week.
“Given the number of applications and the volume and intensity of transactions which must be completed before courses begin, it would not be feasible to delay the first round offers until all results for all examinations are to hand,” the note said.
“The Central Applications Office (CAO) has provided that second round offers will be made on August 28 and has previously alerted all colleges to the need to take account of applications from Britain and Northern Ireland at this stage, given that GCS A level results will not be available in time for round 1.
“This should not give rise to any difficulties or inequity of treatment as colleges will hold back a sufficient number of places for round 2 to allow for offers to GCE A level applicants on merit as appropriate.”
Ms Ruane met Mr O’Keeffe at the cross-border Middletown Centre of Excellence for autism. She said she would study the letter.
“We have to make sure that no young person is disadvantaged in relation to access to university places. I have been given some assurances, there’s further work to be done,” she added.
Today’s meeting was also attended by the North's Minister for Employment and Learning Reg Empey.
The ministers received a presentation on the integration of newcomer children in schools and considered educational underachievement and Traveller education. Schools attendance and promoting reading were also discussed.
They welcomed work between both education departments boosting access to preparatory courses for the Irish language qualification requirements for teaching in schools in Ireland and noted the development of inspection practices in both jurisdictions.
