Dáil debates
Wednesday, 15 February 2006
Priority Questions.
Adult Education.
1:00 pm
Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, during 2006, any of the recommendations of the McIver report will be progressed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5874/06]
Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is strongly committed to improving participation and achievement at every level of education. We have put the resources and supports in place to ensure there is a wide range of courses available in the further and higher education sectors for young people who wish to continue their studies after second level and for people returning to education later in life.
Post-leaving certificate courses represent one such option. The Government's support for this very important sector is clear from the fact that it has increased the number of PLC places by 60% since 1996 and 1997. Indeed, the number of PLC places approved for 2005-06 is up by more than 1,600 on the 2004-05 level. The number of approved places in the sector stands at 30,188.
Government support for the sector is evident not only in the expansion of approved places and teachers, but also in the introduction of maintenance grants for students with effect from September 1998. Tuition fees for PLC courses are waived. The PLC maintenance grant scheme operates on the same basis as in higher education. There were nearly 8,000 PLC grant holders in 2005 and they received €23 million in direct support.
PLC students are included in the calculation of non-pay budgets issued to schools in respect of running costs. A supplemental non-pay grant towards running costs specifically for PLC schools is also payable. This amounted to €5.5 million in 2005. Other developments funded by my Department of direct benefit to the PLC sector include the provision of national certification under the further education and training awards council and the development of progression links with higher education in the institutes of technology.
Government commitment to the sector, by reference to the resources applied in teachers' pay, non-pay running costs, student support and certification costs, is very significant.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House.
The McIver report contains 21 overarching recommendations, incorporating 91 sub-recommendations. It has been estimated, in consultation with management and staff interests, that the recommendations for staffing would involve at a minimum the creation of at least 800 new posts at a cost of over €48 million. This level of additional provision cannot be considered in isolation from other areas of education.
In their consideration of the needs of the PLC sector in future, my officials have been examining, inter alia, the non-teaching educational tasks particular to PLC teachers, the demands on the management side and the challenges presented by the variation in size of PLC providers, which number more than 200. When these deliberations are completed further discussion with the management and union side will be necessary.
Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Minister of State may have been getting to the portion of her reply which dealt with the question relating to the McIver report when her time ran out. With regard to the key recommendations of the report, although the Minister of State mentioned figures for 1998, the McIver report was published in 2003. Will she support and give timetables for the following recommendations: new managements structures; new administrative structures; specialist appointments; recognition of the sector as a distinct sector of education; the prioritisation of child care; and achieving all-year teaching, taking into account day, night and weekends? Do timescales exist for any of these six recommendations?
Does the Minister of State accept that her Department is failing to recognise the potential of the further education sector by not implementing the McIver report? We are almost unique in the EU in not having a separate further education sector. Will the Minister of State deal with this? Will she deal with the fact that PLC colleges are being forced, through the indecision of the Department on the McIver report, to operate within the constraints of the second level structures and resources?
Is the Minister of State aware of the annual school leavers survey, which shows the unemployment rate for school leavers going directly into the workforce doubling to 21% in 2004? The McIver report and the PLC sector could deal with this matter in a real way. Will the Minister of State provide a timescale for the report's implementation?
Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for her questions. As she noted, I did not have an opportunity in my initial reply to outline that the McIver report contains 21 overarching recommendations-——
Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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There are 91 sub-recommendations, with the cost of implementation amounting to €48 million.
Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Will the Minister answer the questions asked? That information has been given and is on record.
Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to state it again. Extensive consultations are continuing, with a view to prioritisation. The Deputy has pointed out some of the issues that must be considered, including management structure and child care. There are other principal recommendations, including the reduction of timetable class teaching hours, for example, and appropriate increases in staff, one of the major concerns of the McIver report. The enhancement of senior and middle management structures is also an important concern, with the increase in technical and administrative staff and improvements in IT and capital infrastructure. Considering that the Department does not have €48 million at its disposal, we must continue the extensive talks and consultations with those involved in the sector to lay down priorities. Once these are set, we will know the timescales involved.
The potential for the area of further education continues to be recognised by my Department and the Government. It is important to point out that although the PLC sector is important — I have indicated the large increases in the sector under the Government — it is only one option in the area of further education. There is also Youthreach, VTOS, senior Traveller training centres, the BTEI, adult education, child care for Youthreach and the issue of literacy. It is important to put all these in context. The Deputy may ask about the particular areas she refers to in terms of the McIver report. I have explained that I look forward to further consultations to set a timescale on prioritisation.
It is important to put things in perspective. I have stated my priority and that of the Government, without making any excuses——
Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The question concerned the implementation of the McIver report. I asked about a timescale.
Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The McIver report deals with further education. This area has many component factors that are particularly important, and the McIver report is only one element.
Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The question concerns the McIver report.
Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The PLC courses are a particular element. I have prioritised those who are most disadvantaged. My idea of prioritisation of those who are most disadvantaged applied particularly to literacy, BTEI, Travellers and Youthreach.
Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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We must move to the next question.
Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Youthreach is still on a pilot footing. What kind of prioritisation is that, 19 years later?
Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Youthreach has been allocated €21.5 million.
Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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It still does not have a proper structure 19 years later.
Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The PLC allocation for non-pay concerns is €5.5 million and the VTOS non-pay allocation is €41.3 million. The senior Traveller training centres non-pay allocation is €8.6 million, Youthreach guidance has been allocated €1.5 million and BTEI has been allocated €13.6 million.
Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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It is still on a pilot footing.
Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Adult education has been allocated over €5 million.
Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The figure for child care concerns, which the Deputy referred to specifically, for Youthreach, the VTOS and the senior Traveller training centres, is €5.6 million.
Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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We must proceed to the next question.
Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The funding for the McIver report is nil.
Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy should indicate which programme she will cut to implement the €48 million worth of recommendations in the report.
Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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I call Question No. 68.
Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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We will implement the recommendations of the McIver report as the resources become available.
Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Department is not giving the resources.
Jan O'Sullivan