Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 575: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will provide as a table, the total budget for back to education schemes for every year since 2000; and the amount of that budgeted amount that was spent every year since 2000. [3731/08]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Back to Education Initiative commenced in October 2002 to provide for flexible part-time options across Further Education. Its priority is to those adults with less than upper second level education. The programme's aim is to give adults who wish to return to education an opportunity to combine their return to learning with family, work and other responsibilities. Programmes are offered on a part-time basis in the mornings, afternoons, evenings or at weekends.

The Back to Education Initiative comprises two strands:

Formal Strand (VECs and Secondary, Special and Community and Comprehensive Schools)

Community Strand (There is a commitment to reserve 10% of all places approved annually for course provision in community groups and organisations).

The following table details the total budget and total spend under the Back to Education Initiative for the years 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.

The take-up of this valuable initiative has increased year-on-year as VECs and community organisations have built up capacity. My Department works closely with these organisations in order to assist them in building this capacity and we anticipate that the allocation for 2008 of €18,500,000 will be fully spent.