Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 499: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if in view of the response (details supplied) to Parliamentary Question No. 234 of 27 April 2010 she will amend the FETAC qualification to include either English or Irish in order that qualified candidates are not excluded from various public sector posts that require leaving certificate standards. [20132/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The National Craft Certificate is an award at Level 6 of the national framework of qualifications. It is designed to prepare apprentices for employment in a range of trades such as aircraft mechanic, plumber, electrician, joiner etc. It usually consists of seven phases over a four year period incorporating placement with industry, training with FAS, and study in the Institutes of Technology. It was not designed to equip students for employment as Prison Officer, and there are no plans to include Irish or English as specific subjects within it.

It is open to any person to apply to the State Examinations Commission to sit Irish or English or any other subject or subjects in the Leaving Certificate as an external candidate should they wish to do so. Learners may also seek to sit major, minor or special purpose awards in a wide range of disciplines which are certified by the Further Education and Training Awards Council. The Leaving Certificate is placed at Levels 4 and 5 of the national framework of qualifications. While the National Craft Certificate is at a higher level of the framework, it is specialised in nature and is not comparable in terms of content or breadth with the Leaving Certificate.