▁existence ▁and ▁were ▁awarded ▁university ▁status ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁in ▁recognition ▁of ▁this . ▁ ▁Third ▁level ▁technical ▁education ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁has ▁been ▁carried ▁out ▁in ▁the ▁Instit utes ▁of ▁Technology , ▁which ▁were ▁established ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁as ▁Regional ▁Techn ical ▁Colleg es . ▁These ▁institutions ▁have ▁deleg ated ▁authority ▁which ▁ent it les ▁them ▁to ▁give ▁degrees ▁and ▁diplom as ▁from ▁Qu ality ▁and ▁Qual ifications ▁Ireland ▁( Q Q I ) ▁in ▁their ▁own ▁names . ▁ ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁private ▁colleg es ▁exist ▁such ▁as ▁Dublin ▁Business ▁School , ▁providing ▁under grad uate ▁and ▁post grad uate ▁courses ▁valid ated ▁by ▁Q Q I ▁and ▁in ▁some ▁cases ▁by ▁other ▁univers ities . ▁ ▁Other ▁types ▁of ▁college ▁include ▁colleg es ▁of ▁education , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁Ireland ▁College ▁of ▁Education . ▁These ▁are ▁special ist ▁institutions , ▁often ▁linked ▁to ▁a ▁university , ▁which ▁provide ▁both ▁under grad uate ▁and ▁post grad uate ▁academic ▁degrees ▁for ▁people ▁who ▁want ▁to ▁train ▁as ▁teachers . ▁ ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁state - fund ed ▁further ▁education ▁colleg es ▁exist ▁– ▁which ▁offer ▁voc ational ▁education ▁and ▁training ▁in ▁a ▁range ▁of ▁areas ▁from ▁business ▁studies ▁and ▁information ▁and ▁communic ations ▁technology ▁to ▁sports ▁injury ▁ther apy . ▁These ▁courses ▁are ▁usually ▁one , ▁two ▁or ▁less ▁often ▁three ▁years ▁in ▁duration ▁and ▁are ▁valid ated ▁by ▁Q Q I ▁at ▁Level s ▁ 5 ▁or ▁ 6 , ▁or