Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

For far too long, SNAs have been treated as the poor relation within education. They deserve respect, and where they undertake training, it must be properly accredited and recognised. The Minister of State encouraged SNAs to take part in the first national training programme for SNAs at UCD. However, no clarity has been provided on the accreditation of this course. SNAs are going around in circles trying to get this clarity. While SNAs are spending a huge amount of time studying and putting the work in for this course, they deserve to know what qualifications they will come out of it with. They deserve to know what impact it will have on their employment, their rights and their entitlements. At the minute there is dithering, delay and confusion as to what the Department of Education is going to do about this and how it will be recognised. It is not good enough. The Minister, Deputy Foley, and the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, need to resolve this with the Minister, Deputy Harris, and the institution involved. SNAs who are working hard and trying to upskill through courses like this deserve to know what status the qualification will have, and it must be clarified urgently.

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