Ms Linda O'Sullivan:

I was one of the first 500 SNAs on the course and we met Senator Byrne on Zoom. It was a ten-month course with five modules, as the Minister of State outlined earlier. What she did not speak about were the statistics from the first 500. According to a survey conducted by UCD, 2.14% of the 500 SNAs are working with the minimum educational requirement. This represents those who attained three grade Ds in the junior certificate. A total of 60% work with QQI levels 5 and 6. SNAs are highly skilled professional workers. It quite insulting to suggest that a course run in conjunction with the Department of Education would not be accredited. The 500 SNAs who started the course believed it would be accredited. Having graduated from UCD in February, it is simply not good enough to find it is not accredited. A total of €2.4 million was invested by the Department in the course. It is free for the students and we have heard time and again from the Department how grateful we should be. We are grateful for the training but it most certainly was not free from the Department.

In its review, the NCSE recommended that a training programme be introduced at level 5 on the national framework of qualifications.

Therefore, to think of UCD having to run a course with no formal accreditation undermines the recommendation. A UCD communications office spokesperson stated that the programme is being delivered at a level of contents, assessment, and governance that will meet accreditation criteria of the programme, if subjected to such criteria. UCD has been very supportive. Many Deputies and Senators have been very supportive of the cause. It was great to hear the Minister say it in April, but we are very aware that we are going towards the end of June and there is no end in sight in relation to the accreditation. Some 500 SNAs have completed and graduated. The next cohort will graduate in October. Before anyone else gets onto that course, we need to see formal accreditation given.