Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 45: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason his Department has ordered a college (details supplied) in County Sligo to reduce the number of students enrolled in the college in view of the exceptional efforts of the college to train and skill so many people on a budget which is designed for a far lower number of students; the way he will offer re-training for the increasing number of unemployed people here, if his Department intends interfering with the successful operation of educational institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7916/09]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy's question relates to the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) programme in the college to which the Deputy refers. There are 5,000 places on VTOS nationwide, funded by my Department and operated by Vocational Education Committees (VECs). The funding allocated by my Department to VECs for the VTOS programme is for the pay of teaching staff, participant allowances and other non-pay costs and is allocated based on the number of approved places. The VEC can then allocate those places to the various VTOS providers within its area. In this case, my Department became aware that the number of enrolments significantly exceeded the number of approved places. My Department contacted the relevant VEC to inform them that funding could only be provided for the number of approved places and the VEC undertook to address the matter.