Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 570: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the funds with which she intends to implement the McIver report; the timeframe for fully implementing the recommendations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13572-06]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Government commitment to the PLC sector, by reference to the resources applied in teachers' pay, non-pay running costs, student support and certification costs, is very significant. The Government's support for this very important sector is clear from the fact that we have increased the number of PLC places by 60% since 1996-97. The number of PLC places approved for 2005-06 is up by more than 1,600 on the 2004-05 level. The number of approved places in the sector now stands at 30,188.

We also extended the provision of maintenance grants to PLC students with effect from September 1998. The PLC maintenance grants scheme operates on the same basis as in higher education. There were nearly 8,000 PLC grant-holders in 2005, and they received some €23 million in direct support. Tuition fees for PLC courses are also waived.

PLC students are included in the calculation of non-pay budgets issued to schools in respect of running costs. A supplementary non-pay grant towards running costs specifically for PLC schools is also payable. That amounted to €5.5 million in 2005.

Other developments funded by my Department of direct benefit to the PLC sector include the provision of national certification under the Further Education and Training Awards Council and the development of progression links with higher education in the institutes of technology.

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 at a minimum the creation of at least 800 new posts at a cost of over €48 million. That 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, my 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.

Officials in my Department recently met representatives of management. Among the many topics discussed at that meeting was the needs of the PLC sector. Further discussions with management and also the union side will be necessary. The timing and extent of implementation will depend on the outcomes of those discussions.