Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 749: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when her Department last held a meeting with the Teacher's Union of Ireland to prioritise recommendations of the McIver report; when the next such meeting will be held; when priorities will be decided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10283/06]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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A meeting on the McIver report, involving officials from the Department of Education and Science and representatives of the management — IVEA — and staff sides — TUI — was held at 10 p.m. on 11 October 2005. A further meeting was held on 24 November 2005 with representatives of the TUI and departmental officials. No future dates for meetings have been agreed between the sides. The Government's commitment to the sector, by reference to the resources applied in teachers' pay, non-pay running costs, student support and certification costs, is very significant. The McIver report contains 21 overarching recommendations, incorporating 91 sub-recommendations. It has been estimated, in consultation with management and staff interests, that the recommendations for staffing would involve the creation of at least 800 new posts at a cost of over €48 million. This level of additional provision cannot be considered in isolation from other areas of education. In their consideration of the future needs of the PLC sector, departmental officials have been examining, inter alia, the non-teaching educational tasks particular to PLC teachers, the demands on the management side and the challenges presented by the variation in size of the more than 200 PLC providers. When their deliberations have been completed, further discussion with the management and union side will be necessary.

The Government's support for this important sector is clear from the fact that it has increased the number of PLC places by 60% since 1996-97. The number of PLC places approved for 2005-06 represents an increase of more than 1,600 on the number for 2004-05. The number of approved places in the sector now stands at 30,188. The Government's support for the sector is evident not only in the expansion of approved places and teachers but also in the introduction of maintenance grants for students with effect from September 1998. Tuition fees for PLC courses are waived. The PLC maintenance grant scheme operates on the same basis as the higher education scheme. There were nearly 8,000 PLC grant holders in 2005 and they received some £23 million in direct support. PLC students are included in the calculation of non-pay budgets issued to schools in respect of running costs. A supplemental non-pay grant towards running costs specifically for PLC schools is also payable. This amounted to €5.5 million in 2005. It is evident that the Government's commitment to the sector, by reference to the resources applied in teachers' pay, non-pay running costs, student support and certification costs, is significant.