Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)

When my colleague, Deputy Penrose, spoke yesterday evening he said, "Every relevant agency and Department of the State should be redirected towards job retention, job creation, training and education." I want to concentrate on the training and education aspects to which he referred. I raise specifically the uncertainty around the Back to Education scheme which is funded by FÁS. This programme was designed to allow those on community employment schemes, who needed it, the opportunity to get back to learning and to access skills and communications, including reading and writing skills. Some of those participating in CE schemes were unable to avail of the training provided because of their literacy problems. Effectively, they were placed on schemes where the training was of little value to them. They badly needed that upskilling by way of basic English, literacy and so on.

Approximately ten years ago FÁS and the VEC drew up the contracts needed to allow the scheme to proceed. The VEC provided the service, which was funded by FÁS. Many of the participants would have had drug-related problems and many would have dropped out of school. The Back to Education scheme provided them with an opportunity to get back to learning and education. At this stage many of them are able to gain FETAC qualifications at levels 3 and 4. Some of them are taking the junior certificate and some are even taking some leaving certificate subjects. As a result, they and their families have benefited greatly from this programme. In many cases, a parent and a son or daughter are taking the same State examinations. Those delivering the course believe it has been very valuable and worthwhile.

Will the Minister of State indicate the current status of this programme? A number of tutors who provide this course have been left in a state of uncertainty about its future and they have contacted me during the past fortnight. It would be a retrograde step if the programme were to be discontinued. It would affect not only the CE participants for whom it is designed but the tutors delivering the course who also will be left in limbo if its continuation is not confirmed and guaranteed. If the programme is discontinued, it will affect most directly those who have had to struggle to literally get a foot on the bottom rung of the ladder. It makes no sense to withdraw the modest funding for this programme. Those most in need of being kept in education would be the first victims of such a senseless cut if that were to happen.

The programme was designed to give those most in need of a basic education the chance to get value and merit from the CE scheme in which they were participating. In the case of one such scheme, I am aware the tuition cost of the programme is €11,000 for nine participants. This is a small investment of State money for the positive outcome that has been provided by this course to date.

Yesterday I received a reply to a parliamentary question I submitted to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The reply stated, "I am advised by FÁS that the funding arrangement for CE participants in education is under review." When I hear the dreaded words "under review", I wonder exactly what they mean. I hope the outcome of that review will be positive. I sincerely hope the funding will not be diminished or withdrawn.

The people participating in that course and the tutors giving it will be in a state of flux. They wonder what will happen in terms of the course at the end of the summer. Will they be refacilitated, will the necessary funding be in place, or will it be cut and, if so, what will be the impact of that? There is an air of uncertainty about it now. I ask for clarity on it. I urge that those people who most need courses, training and education will be able to continue the programme they have started. I seek clarification of the position for the participants and the tutors. It is most unfair in the current climate to generate that air of uncertainty. Indicating that a scheme is under review without giving a timeframe for it, an indication of what format it will take or when the outcome will be known is an inappropriate way to treat those people who are waiting for a positive result.

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