Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 282: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will take steps to change the regulations which impose restrictions on persons who wish to obtain access to VTOS and PLC courses, and in particular the requirement that such persons be in receipt of unemployment benefit for at least six months before they qualify; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23578/04]

Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 325: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will take steps to change the regulations which impose restrictions on persons who wish to obtain access to VTOS and PLC courses, in particular to the requirement that such persons be in receipt of unemployment benefits for six months before they qualify; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23471/04]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 282 and 325 together.

Under the vocational training opportunities scheme, VTOS, my Department provides full-time courses to adults who are at least 21 years of age and in receipt of specified social welfare payments for at least six months. The VTOS programme was designed for long-term unemployed people with minimal or no qualifications. Training allowances, in lieu of welfare payments, are payable to qualified VTOS students. The number of approved places on the programme currently stands at 5,000, and demand exceeds supply. In these circumstances, I regret that a departure from the VTOS eligibility criteria would not be practical. VTOS eligibility criteria do not apply to post leaving certificate courses.