QQI (Quality and Qualifications Ireland) is an independent State agency responsible for promoting quality and accountability in education and training services in Ireland. Part of their role is to regulate and promote the quality of programmes offered by schools and colleges leading to qualifications in the NFQ (National Framework of Qualifications) for the benefit of learners, employers and other interested parties.
The HEA (Higher Education Authority) leads the strategic development of the Irish higher education and research system with the objective of creating a coherent system of diverse institutions with distinct missions, which is responsive to the social, cultural and economic development of Ireland and its people and supports the achievement of national objectives.