Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 77: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the amount spent by her on further education broken down according to current spending on pay and current non-pay spending; capital spending; the number of places being funded by her according to type of further education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47441/10]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The 2010 provision for further education programmes is just over €426 million, made up of €197.3 million for pay costs, €228.9 million for non-pay costs. In addition, my Department provided just over €3.87 million for capital costs. This will enable over 170,000 learners to participate in a range of full-time and part-time further education programmes.

For the current academic year (2010/2011), there are just over 41,000 approved full-time places available in Post Leaving Certificate (PLC - 31,688), Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS - 5,000), Youthreach (3,692) and Senior Traveller Training Centres (STTCs - 684).

In relation to PLC, in 2009/2010 VECs and other PLC providers enrolled over 38,600 learners and it is hoped that they will be able to maintain this level of enrolment. I understand that the other full-time programmes are fully subscribed.

Part-time Further Education opportunities will be provided for an estimated 125,000 participants during 2010 under the Back to Education Initiative (BTEI), Adult Literacy and Community Education Schemes.