Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the consultations which have taken place with the colleges of further education with regard to the implementation of the McIver report recommendations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13326/06]

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 hugely 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 stands at 30,188. We also extended the provision of maintenance grants to PLC students with effect from September 1998. The PLC maintenance grant scheme operates on the same basis as in higher education. There were almost 8,000 PLC grant holders in 2005 and they received €23 million in direct support. Tuition fees for PLC courses are 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. This 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 over-arching 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 more than €48 million. This level of additional provision cannot be considered in isolation from other areas of education. In their consideration of the needs of the PLC sector into the future 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 200 plus PLC providers. I expect to receive proposals shortly from my officials about the nature and extent of our response to the McIver recommendations as well as about issues which we consider that the management and union sides must also address. When I have had the opportunity to consider my officials proposals, it will then be necessary to have further discussions with the management that represents the colleges of further education and the unions that represents the staff side.