Mr. Paul Lavelle:

As the committee will be aware, a decision was taken in the Department some years ago to separate out Traveller provision, and this provision is incorporated into overall services across the domains. There is a general problem with regard to access to courses by Travellers at an appropriate level and in the appropriate way. That was probably more severe in the past couple of years, as there was more pressure on the places available. There is significant work to be done in attracting Travellers, particularly male Travellers, to courses. That work is being done in general at the community education level and the adult literacy level, but it is being done. We hope for some benefit from it over time. Certainly it could do with additional funding, because the withdrawal of some of the specific funding had the impact that we were unable to say we had a particular strand of funding.