Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I understand that they are autonomous. However, in light of the success of the ALBA programme, I wonder if dialogue is going to take place with DCU, which is the accrediting college in this instance. Have discussions taken place with All Hallows in the context of the course being provided under, for example, a social enterprise model? We are talking about people who were out of formal education for up to 30 years and who, with the help of the Government, returned to it. In that context, when the EGF funding ceased, the Department stepped in and provided moneys for the final two years. The merits of the programme are there to be seen. All but one of the students involved have returned to employment or have gone on to further education. In some cases, these people had been out of education for decades. It would be a mistake to bring this successful programme to an end, particularly as I am of the view that it could be facilitated in some other form or even expanded. Is the Department going to investigate the possibility of opening up dialogue with somebody in the context of the course continuing elsewhere, or will it consider the possibility of facilitating it under a social enterprise model?

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