Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 October 2018
53. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he will take to commence discussions on mutual recognition agreements with non-EU countries to allow construction workers qualified abroad to work as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41563/18]
View answerAny person holding a qualification from outside the State can use NARIC, Ireland's qualifications recognition and comparison service operated by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), to get a statement on how their qualification compares with an Irish qualification.
There is no legal requirement to hold a specific qualification to work in the construction sector, other than in certain professions, regulated crafts (see below) and in activities covered by the Construction Skills Certification Scheme. However, persons with an overseas craft qualification who wish to obtain the Irish qualification for a specific craft can avail of the SOLAS Recognition of Prior Learning facility by registering to the relevant craft and submitting a portfolio of verifiable evidence. In the case of regulated crafts such as, electrical and gas (plumbing), recognition of qualifications obtained outside the State in these crafts would be a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU).
