Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) is a second chance education initiative which is funded by my Department for unemployed persons who are at least 21 years of age and in receipt of certain social welfare payments for at least six months. It is operated through the 33 Vocational Education Committees (VECs). The aim of the Scheme is to give unemployed people education and training opportunities which will develop and prepare them to go into paid employment, or on to further education opportunities leading to paid employment.

VTOS centres operate for up to 43 weeks each year to facilitate student participation in courses, as part of the learner-centred approach of further education, and or examinations. In such cases VTOS coordinators are entitled to receive an honorarium for additional attendance. This arrangement is set out in the Management Structure for VTOS Circular letter 45/99, paragraph 3.4. which states, "the coordinator will be required to be in attendance for the full duration of the VTOS course as specified by the VEC. The prison honorarium will be payable pro rata in respect of extra summer attendance over that pertaining in the normal school year of 167 days". Where a VTOS centre is not open beyond the normal school year this honorarium payment does not apply as no extra attendance is required. The duration of the VTOS academic year is a matter for each VEC.