Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 599: To ask the Minister for Education and Science whether her Department has received a submission from the Teacher Union of Ireland requesting a specific budgetary allocation in budget 2006 to facilitate the implementation recommendations of the McIver report on the post-leaving certificate, PLC sector; her views on the submission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34380/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In its pre-budget submission dated 3 November 2005, the TUI recommends that no less than €50 million be provided in 2006 in order to commence the implementation of the recommendations contained in the McIver report on the PLC sector. This report contains 21 over-arching recommendations, incorporating more than 90 sub-recommendations. The principal recommendations are: a reduction in the number of timetabled class teaching hours and appropriate increases in staff to compensate; enhancement of senior and middle management structures to allow more time for assessment, student support and interaction, team development and cross-curricular planning, industry liaison and quality assurance processes; an increase in technical and administrative support staff; improvements in student library, information technology and social facilities, and capital infrastructure; and new programme support services.

Having regard to the number and scope of the recommendations in the report, consultations have been held with management and staff interests on such issues as the prioritisation of recommendations, the structural changes envisaged in the report, and their implications and associated costs. However, the Department has made it clear that the recommendations of the PLC review cannot be dealt with in isolation and must be considered in the light of the totality of provision made available for further and adult education in the annual Estimates. Further such meetings with management and staff interests will be necessary in the future.