Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)

The Government is strongly committed to improving participation and achievement at every level of education. We have put the resources and supports in place to ensure there is a wide range of courses available in the further and higher education sectors for young people who wish to continue their studies after second level and for people returning to education later in life.

Post-leaving certificate courses represent one such option. The Government's support for this very important sector is clear from the fact that it has increased the number of PLC places by 60% since 1996 and 1997. Indeed, the number of PLC places approved for 2005-06 is up by more than 1,600 on the 2004-05 level. The number of approved places in the sector stands at 30,188.

Government support for the sector is evident not only in the expansion of approved places and teachers, but also in the introduction of maintenance grants for students with effect from September 1998. Tuition fees for PLC courses are waived. The PLC maintenance grant scheme operates on the same basis as in higher education. There were nearly 8,000 PLC grant holders in 2005 and they received €23 million in direct support.

PLC students are included in the calculation of non-pay budgets issued to schools in respect of running costs. A supplemental non-pay grant towards running costs specifically for PLC schools is also payable. This amounted to €5.5 million in 2005. Other developments funded by my Department of direct benefit to the PLC sector include the provision of national certification under the further education and training awards council and the development of progression links with higher education in the institutes of technology.

Government commitment to the sector, by reference to the resources applied in teachers' pay, non-pay running costs, student support and certification costs, is very significant.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

The McIver report contains 21 overarching recommendations, incorporating 91 sub-recommendations. It has been estimated, in consultation with management and staff interests, that the recommendations for staffing would involve at a minimum the creation of at least 800 new posts at a cost of over €48 million. This level of additional provision cannot be considered in isolation from other areas of education.

In their consideration of the needs of the PLC sector in future, my officials have been examining, inter alia, the non-teaching educational tasks particular to PLC teachers, the demands on the management side and the challenges presented by the variation in size of PLC providers, which number more than 200. When these deliberations are completed further discussion with the management and union side will be necessary.

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