Dr. Kara McGann:

When we looked into it and spoke to people in the sector, looking at development, career paths and professionalisation of the sector to attract staff to the area and retain them will be hugely important. There is no opportunity here to allow people to learn on the job. Two level 5 QQI qualifications are needed for a potential carer who may not have been in a classroom for quite some time or might not have had a good experience in the education system. To be faced with having to start there as opposed to the UK model where people can do skills for care programmes and are able to cover the equivalent of that QQI level 5 certification once they are regulated is another strand of the piece. I am not dismissing pay but it is probably a broader church than that.