Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 199: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason for his decision to cap PLC student numbers for the 2004-2005 school year. [9803/04]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Most colleges offering PLC courses are operated under the management of the vocational education committees and funding is provided for pay and non-pay costs on the basis of the approved number of places on approved courses run by the colleges.

In the current academic year the enrolments on PLC courses in certain schools and colleges have exceeded the number of places approved by my Department. Teacher allocations for 2004-05 and capitation grants have been allocated on the basis of the approved number of places or the numbers enrolled. In the 2003-04 academic year nearly 28,700 places were approved by my Department.

My Department is currently considering appeals from the VECs, schools and colleges for the recognition of the excess numbers enrolled for the purposes of teacher allocations and grants and a decision in the matter will be taken shortly in the light of the totality of demands for teaching resources across the system.