asked the Minister for Education the written guarantees that have come from the NUI regarding the awarding of honours degrees to NIHE students where merited; whether there are any written records of what transpired at meetings between the representatives of the NUI and NIHE concerning this matter; and whether there are any minutes of meetings between the representatives of these two bodies and himself concerning it.

Questions in relation to the award of degrees to NIHE students are a matter for the governing body of NIHE and the authorities of NUI, as are any records of what may have transpired at meetings between their representatives. I have attended as an observer at a meeting between representatives of the two bodies at which general matters relating to NIHE's application to NUI for recognised college status were discussed. Formal minutes of that meeting were not recorded.