Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

The Minister of State will be aware that participation on PLC courses has grown incrementally over the past number of years giving rise to huge demand for places. The recently announced jobs initiative provides for additional places on PLC courses, which I welcome. Given the high level of unemployment here and the need for people currently out of the labour market to upskill, there will be increasing demand again this autumn for places on PLC courses. PLC and other further education courses have been extremely important as a conduit in the area of progression to third level education. I know from constituents whose children are the first in their families to go on to further education of the importance of these courses in terms of access to third level education.

I ask the Minister to, if at all possible, provide additional resources again this September for the further education sector. It is a worthwhile investment which benefits individuals, society and the economy.

See this speech in context