Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 648: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will make arrangements for the continued funding of Galway Integrate Ireland Language and Training until the full range of services provided by Galway IILT can be implemented by the Vocational Educational Committee; if he will provide for the VEC to take over the current funding and contracts of Galway IILT in order to ensure an uninterrupted service for IILT's students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26932/08]

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Integrate Ireland Language and Training Ltd. (IILT) approached my Department earlier this year with a proposal to withdraw from direct tuition for adult refugees and with a request that this tuition be mainstreamed. IILT envisaged continuing direct tuition for a group of up to 200 programme refugees. My Department accepted that mainstreaming of service provision was appropriate as it accords with the overall approach to provision of services to migrants as set out in "Migration Nation" — a statement on integration strategy and diversity management which I recently launched. In doing so the Department decided that all provision should be mainstreamed and provided by VECs as it would be less efficient to seek to continue with a small element of provision by IILT.

The funding allocated to IILT will now be redirected to provide for the continuation of this service through the VEC network, including the service provided by IILT in Galway. The Irish Vocational Education Association has confirmed that it is happy to cooperate and collaborate with my Department in delivery of necessary English language services. The VEC sector has already developed best practice in ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) provision. The sector is already providing English language services for those whose first language is not English. At present services are provided to over 12,000 people annually which clearly demonstrates the capacity of the VECs in this area. A further advantage of mainstreaming such provision through the VEC sector is the fact that the VECs have a nationwide network across all counties and cities that can readily provide classes where needed in the country using their facilities in schools and centres.

In relation to the employment contracts of staff employed by IILT, including staff in Galway, the position is that IILT is a limited company registered under the Companies Acts and has commenced the process of voluntary liquidation and will cease operation. As part of this process, the staff of IILT will receive their statutory redundancy entitlements. The employment contracts of IILT staff will not be taken over by the Vocational Education Committees.