Planning courses

I am currently working in conservation over in the UK but have been considering doing a planning masters either here in the UK or in Ireland. You are probably aware however that nearly all the planning courses in the UK accredited by the RTPI are now one year in length whilst in Ireland the IPI have refused to accredit these courses and are only recognising two year full time courses (RTPI and IPI acredited)or the 2.5 year part time course in Bolton Street(which is not recognised by the RTPI incidently). The one year course is possibly more attractive to me for many reasons including being half the price! UCD did offer the one year course last year but stressed that it was more suitable for people wishing to work in the UK and this year have decided not to run it all. I am finding it difficult to choose, if i do the UK course would it be useless to me if I go home to Ireland. It feels like potential students are caught in a political debate the RTPI and the IPI as can there really be much differnence in quality between say the one year course offered by the Bartlett school of planning at University College London and the two and a half year part time course at Bolton street with both planning institutes refusing to rcognise the other course. Finally does the European directive on recognition of titles and diplomas make the whole argument irrelevant considering that there are many foreigners now working in the planning systems in both the UK and Ireland. I would love to hear some opinions from those who have either completed a planning course or considering doing one.
cheers