Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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857. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the BTEC Higher National Diploma Level 5 course in early childhood education and care at North West Regional College Derry, which was recognised as a Level 7 qualification, was changed to a Level 6 qualification; the reason students currently on the course were not exempted from the change; if they can now be exempted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5608/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), the State Agency responsible for maintaining the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), operates NARIC Ireland – the National Academic Recognition Information Centre. NARIC Ireland provides advice on the academic recognition of a foreign qualification by comparing it, where possible, to a major award type and level on the NFQ.

The Higher National Diploma (HND) of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland is comparable to NFQ Level 6 as per the NARIC comparability statement first published in 2015, available at: . A specific comparability statement is available for the BTEC/Edexel Level 5, first published in 2018, and this is also placed at NFQ Level 6 (available at: ). These comparability statements are long standing and there has been no recent change.

Separately, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is the relevant competent authority for the recognition of qualifications obtained outside the state for the purpose of employment in the Early Years Education sector. This includes the recognition of qualifications as meeting the contractual requirements for the role of Lead Educator and meeting the contractual requirements for role of Graduate Lead Educator. My Department has no role in such determinations.