Professor Joyce O'Connor, president of the National College of Ireland (NCI), has been appointed chairperson of the new Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC). The council's remit will include validation of further education and training programmes and the establishment of quality assurance mechanisms. According to Prof O'Connor, FETAC will incorporate and develop the work of the NCVA, FAS, CERT and TEAGASC. Importantly, she says, the work of FETAC will include the validation of prior and experiential learning, work-based learning and community and private-sector education. "Individual learners will be able to approach FETAC directly to seek certification or recognition for their existing knowledge, skills and competencies." FETAC has been established under the Qualifications (Education Training) Act, which also provides for the establishment of the new National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) and a Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC).

The NQAI was recently established by the Minister for Education and Science, Dr Michael Woods, to create a national qualifications framework, which will allow access, transfer and progression from and to all sectors of education.