Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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I am pleased to be able to speak on the issue of Kinsale College of Further Education. I appreciate the opportunity given to me by the Ceann Comhairle to outline this important case to the Minister of State.

The college is operated by the County Cork Vocational Education Committee as a post-leaving certificate centre. It is currently under St. Brogan's College in Bandon, which is significantly removed, geographically, from Kinsale. For some time the college has been seeking autonomy and its own roll number. I am cognisant of the fact that this may require some additional resources, which is much to ask in the current economic climate. The social and cultural value brought to the area by giving this facility autonomy would far outweigh the monetary cost of such a move. Any short-term cost of an educational facility such as this would be offset by its dividend to society and the economy.

I am familiar with the area and with the college. The benefits of it are striking. The college was established 16 years ago to provide a range of post-leaving certificate courses to international students, mature students and early school leavers. Since then, it has earned itself a place at the forefront of research, teaching and innovation, offering students a pioneering catalogue of FETAC accredited courses which are developed with the cultural, social, historical and ecological context of the college's spectacular location in mind. There are courses in outdoor instructor training, tourism and travel, child care, office skills, business administration, permaculture and practical sustainability as well as theatre performance, multimedia production and TV and film production. In addition to the FETAC certification, many of the courses on offer at the college provide additional industry awards which are recognised internationally.

Places like Kinsale College of Further Education are crucial to Ireland's future development as a knowledge economy, offering specialist courses in many areas and skills that will be the lifeblood of 21st century enterprise and industry in this country and will play a significant role in getting us out of the current economic crisis. Granting the college autonomous status and its own roll number would help bolster its standing in the education community, enhance its appeal among prospective students and boost the image of the Kinsale area. I appreciate that we are operating in a very difficult economic climate and I know the Minister has a very restricted budget. However, I appeal to the Government and to the Minister and Ministers of State to look favourably on this request for autonomy. I ask them to look at the issues being addressed by this provider and at those marginalised by the status quo of the current education system.

I had the privilege of visiting the college recently. With the co-ordinator, I visited the various classrooms, met the staff and students and witnessed at first hand the vast array of courses available. There are also follow-on courses. For example, a BA course is available in Tralee Institute of Technology for students who meet certain FETAC requirements in some subjects. That is of enormous benefit.

For the last number of weeks we have been discussing, at length, the economic crisis and banking restructuring. This is one of the ways we can address that issue. Here is a policy the Government can effect. We can grant this college autonomy. It is not good enough that a college of further education is dependent on a post-primary school 15 miles away. The benefit to society and the economy speaks for itself.

Granting autonomy would not make any additional demand on the limited resources in the Department's budget. I do not say this lightly. I hope officials in the Minister's Department will examine the merit of this case. I know the civil servant who drafted the reply to this Adjournment matter was very cognisant of budgetary restraints. However, if we are restricted by budgetary restraints and refuse this request we are being penny-wise and pound-foolish. The costs arising from a lack of skills and knowledge available to the economy and to the education sector will make their own case in years to come.

This is an urgent case and I appeal to the Minister to examine its merit.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Kinsale College of Further Education is managed by County Cork VEC to provide courses under my Department's post-leaving certificate programme. The PLC programme is a self-contained whole-time learning experience designed to provide successful participants with specific vocational skills to enhance their prospects of securing lasting, full-time employment or to progress to other studies. It caters for those who have completed senior cycle education and require further vocational education and training as well as adults who may not have completed the senior cycle but who are returning to education and who have skills and competencies which enable them to undertake the courses. There are almost 31,700 approved PLC places nationwide enabling almost 38,700 learners to participate in PLC courses. For each approved place, my Department provides a staffing allocation and non-pay capitation. The majority of these places are provided by VECs, in recognised VEC schools and stand-alone PLC colleges, but also in voluntary secondary schools and community and comprehensive schools, across the country. There are almost 200 approved PLC centres nationwide. Places are allocated to VECs and other providers on an annual basis following an application process and VECs are responsible for the further allocation of those places to schools and colleges under their aegis.

Separately, following an annual application process my Department approves PLC courses to be delivered. PLC courses are generally of one or two years' duration and are at levels 5 and 6 on the national framework of qualifications.

On the specific matter raised by the Deputy, Kinsale Community School was established in 1997 following the merger of the vocational school managed by County Cork VEC and a convent school operated by the Presentation Sisters. The VEC decided to use the premises of the former vocational school for the delivery of PLC courses. The VEC manages the delivery of PLC provision in Kinsale College through St. Brogan's College in Bandon. PLC learners undertake PLC courses in Kinsale College of Further Education but for the purposes of allocating staff and non-pay capitation, the learners are included in St. Brogan's College returns by the VEC to the Department.

County Cork VEC has sanction for 1,334 approved PLC places and has advised the Department that it has allocated 215 of these places to Kinsale College of Further Education, through Saint Brogan's College. Enrolment data for the 2010-2011 academic year provided by schools to the Department, indicates that total PLC enrolment in County Cork VEC is 1,611 and that a total of 277 PLC learners enrolled in St. Brogan's College, which includes those enrolled in Kinsale College of Further Education. Our records indicate that the VEC offers one PLC course in St. Brogan's College. On recognition as a stand alone institution, generally, to qualify for consideration, an approved allocation of at least 500 approved PLC places is required. Furthermore, sanction as a stand alone PLC college would require additional financial and staffing resources in terms of teacher allocations and management structure, including principal and other posts of responsibility. In the context of the current budgetary situation, the moratorium on public sector recruitment and the employment control framework, it would be very difficult to provide these resources.

As indicated on 22 March 2011 in a response to Question No. 103, this issue is currently the subject of correspondence between the acting chief executive officer of County Cork VEC and officials of my Department.

The latest position is that my Department has sought a submission from the VEC setting out the benefits of stand alone status and how this might be achieved on a cost neutral basis. A reply is still outstanding and when it is received, my Department will consider it further. I again thank the Deputy for raising this matter.