Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have had a similar experience with another body, UCD, when a constituent of mine wanted to begin a course in paramedics for which the minimum entry requirement was the leaving certificate. He had FETAC level 5 and 6 qualifications in paramedics as he was a very experienced paramedic, and could probably have given most of the course, but because he did not have a formal leaving certificate, UCD would not allow him onto the course. We have a job to do in affirming that a FETAC qualification means something in terms of further education and employment opportunities. The role of QQI is to bring that together and to give it that weight and depth of affirmation that is so necessary.