Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The college referred to by the Deputy is operated as an approved post-leaving certificate, PLC, centre by City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee. My Department continues to facilitate, as an exceptional measure, the provision by this college of two courses accredited at level 8 on the national framework of qualifications. The CDVEC has been allowed, as a transitional measure, to retain for the 2013-2014 academic year ten whole-time equivalent teaching posts it had been due to lose under the new pupil-teacher ratio allocation. Further distribution of these posts to colleges under its remit is a matter for the CDVEC.

Section 7 of the Student Support Act 2011 outlines the position with regard to approved institutions for the purposes of student grants. The college is comprehended within section 7(1)(d) of the Act as a provider of post-leaving certificate courses. I have no plans to designate further education centres as approved third level institutions for the purposes of the student grant scheme

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