Averil Power (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I strongly welcome the acknowledgement in the Minister's response of the need to adjust the general scheme of the Bill to ensure there are no unintended consequences for the plc courses. At least it shows there is an awareness in the Department that there are issues. I appreciate also his reassurance that those issues will be addressed before the legislation is finalised. I reiterate that the reason the issue has arisen and the reason we end up with unintended consequences in the further education sector is that they are treated as post-primary schools, despite the fact that in reality the sector has grown into something different. That reality needs to be recognised and the sector needs to be set up properly as a distinct sector on a statutory basis. I reiterate my call that the Minister convey the matter to the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, that he meet the NAPD to discuss how the legislation can be improved to ensure there are not the unintended consequences that the Minister has acknowledged and to discuss the future of the further education and adult education sector and how it fits within his overall vision in terms of SOLAS and the education and training boards. He has acknowledged in the other House the need to recognise the distinct role the further education sector has to play particularly in the current economic environment and in the training context.