Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

The leaving certificate vocational programme, LCVP, has been in existence since 1994 and its introduction was designed to enhance the vocational dimension of the leaving certificate. This two-year programme combines the traditional academic strengths of the leaving certificate with a focus on self-directed learning, enterprise, work and the community which are included in the link modules.

There are currently 508 second level schools offering the leaving certificate vocational programme and the programme is taken each year by approximately 10% of second level pupils. Participation in the programme is supported by an enhanced pupil:teacher ratio and by the provision of professional development support to schools and teachers. My Department received applications from ten second level schools for approval to introduce the programme in their schools from the commencement of the 2009/10 school year.

The first point to be clarified is that teaching resources will continue to be provided to the 508 in receipt of such resources and that it is the ten applicant schools that will not receive additional resources. In framing the budgets in October and April, a range of difficult choices had to be faced by Government across all areas of public expenditure, including in the field of education where in future a ceiling will apply in respect of the overall number of teachers. Clearly, any expansion of the programmes must be considered in the context of existing policies and available resources.

The first priority is to maintain existing service levels to the greatest possible extent. In the context of the limits on overall numbers employed in the public service and how they are to apply to the schools sector, it would not make sense to expand this service and further increase the upward pressure on teacher numbers at this time. The Department has, however, outlined to the schools concerned that those that wish to provide the leaving certificate vocational programme from within their existing staffing resources will be facilitated.

See this speech in context