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

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the House the position in respect of the VTOS programme in St. Dominic's National School, Tallaght.

The vocational training opportunities scheme is a second-chance education and training programme for unemployed adults in receipt of certain Department of Social Protection payments. The courses are full-time and can last up to two years. VTOS students can pursue subjects in the junior and leaving certificate examinations or modules certified by Quality and Qualifications Ireland at levels 3 to 6 under the national framework of qualifications. Learners participating on VTOS courses receive a training allowance along with meal and travel allowances and they may be entitled to child care support.

Currently almost 6,000 people are availing of second-chance education under VTOS throughout the country and VTOS places are operated by the education and training boards from funding provided by SOLAS, the new further education and training authority. The main objective of SOLAS is to develop, fund and oversee an integrated further education and training sector. The former FÁS training centres and the 800 associated staff will transfer on a gradual basis to the recently formed education and training boards. These bodies will be responsible for the delivery of an integrated further education and training system. That transfer process commenced on 1 January this year and will be completed by the end of this year.

One of the first major tasks carried out by SOLAS was the development of Ireland's first ever five-year strategy for further education and training, launched on 12 May. This has been developed following consultation with the key stakeholders and has set out a proposed roadmap for the further education and training sector in response to the needs and opportunities for the short, medium and longer term. It will seek to ensure the provision of high-quality further education and training programmes which are responsive to the needs of learners and the requirements of a changed and changing economy. The Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board is a statutory body with significant autonomy with responsibility for education and training provision in the region. The ETB has 510 approved VTOS places and the allocation of these places to centres under its remit is a matter for the board. Following the amalgamation of the former Dublin and Dún Laoghaire vocational education committees, the establishment of the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board and the merger of the former FÁS services, the board carried out a review, as required, of the provision of all adult education services. In considering VTOS places the board concluded that some 80 places were available in Tallaght at adult education services and a further 40 places were available nearby in Greenhills College. By comparison, Balbriggan, one of the fastest-growing areas in western Europe, only had 20 places. The board then made the decision to increase the available places in Balbriggan by 20, up to 40 leaving 100 places available in the general Tallaght area. Education and training boards are expected to manage their resources to provide the best service for all areas under their remit and that ultimately will lead to changes in provision in particular areas from time to time.

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