Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 428: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the VEC courses for which asylum seekers are entitled to register. [15282/05]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 429: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if asylum seekers who have been granted the right to work and asylum seekers granted leave to remain in this State as the parent of an Irish-born child are subject to different criteria in registering for a VEC course than asylum seekers who do not come under these categories. [15283/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 428 and 429 together.

Adults in the following categories may participate on courses in the VEC sector: EU nationals; persons who have refugee status in Ireland; persons in the State as the spouse of an EU national, where the EU national has moved from one country to another within the EU to work; persons who have been granted leave to remain in the State on humanitarian grounds; persons who have permission to remain in the State as the parents of a child born in Ireland; applicants for asylum who have been granted permission to work under the terms of a Government decision of 26 July 1999.

Part-time courses in adult literacy and English language supports may be offered by VECs under the adult literacy and community education scheme to persons who are applicants for asylum who do not come under the above categories.