Concerns around potential cheating and exam breaches in electrical apprenticeship assessments have been sent to gardaí.
Solas, the State agency that oversees the further education and training sector, referred the matter last month following a detailed review prompted by a series of protected disclosures.
Last month, it emerged that minister for further and higher education James Lawless became aware of an issue with the electrician qualification process shortly after taking up his role.
On Thursday, the Oireachtas further and higher education committee heard that an independent external review had found no safety concerns around the training of electrical apprentices.
However, following a focused review, Solas prepared and submitted a file to gardaí for investigation.
In July 2024, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) received a protected disclosure about assessments in the craft electrical apprenticeship programme, the committee heard.
This related to phases four and six of the programme, which are delivered in technological higher education settings.
“The disclosure raised concerns about the predictability of assessments, the repeated use of the same version of assessments over time and the operation of the assessment system,” Dr Lynn Ramsey, QQI chief executive officer said.
Later in the year, it received further reports that two exam papers had allegedly been leaked in advance of the exams.
QQI then initiated a focused review of Solas’ quality assurance procedures for phases four and six of the craft electrical apprenticeship and established an independent expert review team to investigate ten specific concerns.
These included “assessment predictability, security, marking and grading, the effectiveness of reporting and feedback systems”, as well as the interaction between Solas’ quality assurance procedures and those of the higher education institutions.
“Of the ten areas of concern identified, nine of these were deemed to have been substantiated by the review team,” Dr Ramsey told the committee.
Interim chief executive of Solas Nessa White said it “immediately took these concerns very seriously and have taken corrective action where possible.”
Committee chair Fianna Fáil TD Erin McGreehan said the concerns raised in recent months are “grave” and “sobering”.
“The integrity of that national examination system, it was compromised over several years, and we want to make sure that we ensure that public confidence is absolutely re-established.”